Ch10

Essay Questions

54. Identify the three sources of error in communication research. Explain how each source can
contribute to error.

The three major sources of error in communication research are measurement questions and
survey instruments, interviewers, and participants. Measurement error occurs if inappropriate
questions are used, if the questions are asked in an inappropriate order, if the instructions used are
faulty and if the response options are faulty. Interviewer error can be introduced if the interviewer
fails to secure cooperation from participants, leads the respondent, introduces bias through his or
her physical presence, fails to establish an appropriate interview environment, or falsifies answers.
Participants create error when they fail to participate, fail to provide a correct answer or fail to
provide a complete answer.

Level: Moderate

55. Explain the meaning of nonresponse error. How can researchers reduce the potential for
nonresponse error?

Nonresponse error is the bias that occurs when those who do not respond to a survey are
systematically different from those who do respond. The best defense against nonresponse error is
a good response rate. The higher the response rate, the less likely it is that those who did not
respond are different from those that did. It is important to note that a low response rate does not
automatically mean that nonresponse bias exists in the results. Rather, it means that the potential
for that bias exists.

Level: Moderate
56. Off-the-shelf Web survey software offers many advantages over traditional programming for
researchers as they build surveys for deployment on the Internet. Identify five of these advantages.

There are several strengths associated with using survey software for the Web. Questionnaires are
designed in a word processing environment. Questions can be imported from text files. Many
packages come with question and scale libraries. Some programs also include an analysis
component for the reporting of results. Depending on the software and hardware available,
incoming data may be viewed in real-time. Software packages may also offer advanced features
like the ability for question piping, branching, and randomization of questions and response
categories.

Level: Moderate

57. Compare and contrast computer-assisted telephone interviewing with the use of computer-
administered telephone surveys.

Both computer-assisted and computer-administered modes involve the use of a computer to

conduct telephone interviews. Both methods allow for the use of random digit dialing, and data
entry while the interview is conducted. The computer-administered mode, however, does not use a
human interviewer. The questions are voice-synthesized and respondents answer using touch-tone
data entry, voice recognition, or automatic speech recognition. The computer-assisted mode relies
upon a human interviewer to ask questions and record answers.

Level: Moderate