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A classification of response scale characteristics that affect data quality: a literature review

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  • Anna DeCastellarnau

    (RECSM-Universitat Pompeu Fabra
    Tilburg University)

Abstract

Quite a lot of research is available on the relationships between survey response scales’ characteristics and the quality of responses. However, it is often difficult to extract practical rules for questionnaire design from the wide and often mixed amount of empirical evidence. The aim of this study is to provide first a classification of the characteristics of response scales, mentioned in the literature, that should be considered when developing a scale, and second a summary of the main conclusions extracted from the literature regarding the impact these characteristics have on data quality. Thus, this paper provides an updated and detailed classification of the design decisions that matter in questionnaire development, and a summary of what is said in the literature about their impact on data quality. It distinguishes between characteristics that have been demonstrated to have an impact, characteristics for which the impact has not been found, and characteristics for which research is still needed to make a conclusion.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna DeCastellarnau, 2018. "A classification of response scale characteristics that affect data quality: a literature review," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1523-1559, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:52:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s11135-017-0533-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-017-0533-4
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    Cited by:

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    5. Felderer, Barbara & Repke, Lydia & Weber, Wiebke & Schweisthal, jonas & Bothmann, Ludwig, 2024. "Predicting the Validity and Reliability of Survey Questions," OSF Preprints hkngd, Center for Open Science.
    6. Giovana Vitória Nunes Leite Duarte & Susana Pereira Antunes Procópio & Angélica Cotta Lobo Leite Carneiro & Leandro de Morais Cardoso, 2022. "Development and Validation of a Tool for Assessing Sustainable Social Practices in Food Services," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-18, December.
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    10. Choi, Young Rok & Phan, Phillip H. & Choi, Jaepil, 2020. "Formal governance, interfirm coordination, and performance in partnerships: An empirical investigation of a mediation model," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 413-424.
    11. Marc Asensio & Melanie Revilla, 2022. "Number of answer categories for bipolar item specific scales in face-to-face surveys: Does more mean better?," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1413-1433, June.
    12. Ken Cai Kowalski & Andrew J. Perrin, 2024. "“I have to pick a percentage now”: indeterminate meanings of moderate survey responses," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 3041-3061, August.
    13. Aarti Sharma & Taghreed Abunada & Sawsan S. Said & Rana M. Kurdi & Atiyeh M. Abdallah & Marawan Abu-Madi, 2022. "Clinical Practicum Assessment for Biomedical Science Program from Graduates’ Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-10, September.
    14. Zhou, Fei & Su, Qiulai & Mou, Jian, 2021. "Understanding the effect of website logos as animated spokescharacters on the advertising: A lens of parasocial interaction relationship," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    15. Galasso, Vincenzo & Nannicini, Tommaso & Nozza, Debora, 2024. "We Need to Talk: Audio Surveys and Information Extraction," IZA Discussion Papers 17488, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Jane Kirkham & Elaine Chapman & Sally Male, 2023. "Measuring Motivation for Mathematics Course Choice in Secondary School Students: Interrelationships Between Cost and Other Situated Expectancy-Value Theory Components," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, June.
    17. Konstantin Gavras & Jan Karem Höhne & Annelies G. Blom & Harald Schoen, 2022. "Innovating the collection of open‐ended answers: The linguistic and content characteristics of written and oral answers to political attitude questions," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 185(3), pages 872-890, July.
    18. Wonyoung Yang & Jin Yong Jeon, 2021. "Usability of Visual Analogue Scales in Assessing Human Perception of Sound with University Students Using a Web-Based Tablet Interface," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-16, August.
    19. Karen Gorissen & Bert Weijters & Berre Deltomme, 2024. "Green versus Grey Framing: Exploring the Mechanism behind the Negative Footprint Illusion in Environmental Sustainability Assessments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-10, February.
    20. S. Brent Jackson & Kathryn T. Stevenson & Lincoln R. Larson & M. Nils Peterson & Erin Seekamp, 2021. "Connection to Nature Boosts Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-24, November.
    21. Stefania Capecchi & Romina Gambacorta & Rosaria Simone & Domenico Piccolo, 2024. "Modelling cognitive response patterns to survey questions using the class of CUB models," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 885, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.

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