empirical-methods

Homepage for 17-803 "Empirical Methods" at Carnegie Mellon University

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L12: Questionnaire Design and Multi-Item Scales (pdf)

We continue our discussion of survey design, focusing on Lickert scales and factor analysis. We also go over an example applying factor analysis to burnout survey data following this tutorial.

Readings

Dillman, D., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2014). Internet, Phone, Mail and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Chapter 1: Sample Surveys in our Electronic World
Chapter 2: Reducing People’s Reluctance to Respond to Surveys
Chapter 4: The Fundamentals of Writing Questions
Chapter 5: How to Write Open and Closed Ended Questions

Hof, M. (2012). Questionnaire Evaluation with Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Alpha. Student project. Seminar in Methodology and Statistics. University of Groningen

Yong, A. G., & Pearce, S. (2013). A beginner’s guide to factor analysis: Focusing on exploratory factor analysis. Tutorials in quantitative methods for psychology, 9(2), 79-94.

Good examples of how to assess the reliability and validity of a survey scale (factor analysis, Cronbach’s Alpha).

Cairns, P. (2019). Doing better statistics in human-computer interaction. Cambridge University Press.

Chapter 15: What Makes a Good Likert Item?
Chapter 16: The Meaning of Factors
Chapter 17: Unreliable Reliability: The Problem of Cronbach’s Alpha
Ch18: Tests for Questionnaires

Lots of detail on Likert items and scales. Examples of what can go wrong when questions are worded or answers options are given even slightly differently.