For a short mid-term survey of his students, a Graduate Student Instructor has put four questions on a piece of paper. He is planning to hand these out this afternoon. The last two questions are: (1) What grade do you think you are getting in the course? and (2) What grade would you give the instructor so far? Both questions can be answered with A, B, C, D, or F. What is a potential problem with these questions?
Q. 2The biggest problem with open questions is that the results can be difficult to summarize. If closed-form questions are preferred, explain how a pilot survey might be used to better formulate the closed-form questions.
Q. 3Explain the difference between an open question and a closed question.
Q. 4The following statement that was provided as part of the fine print at the end of the reported results of a survey: In addition to sampling error, question wording in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.. What is the type of bias being referred to here?
Q. 5Reword the following survey question so that it is less confusing. Do you disagree with the policy of not allowing first year students parking permits on campus?
Q. 6Two polls were conducted to determine how much support there was for public funding of private schools. However, the results from the two polls were contradictory. One poll asked whether students should attend private school at public expense. The other poll asked How much do you support providing parents with the option of sending their children to the school of their choice either public, private or parochial rather than only to the school to which they are assigned? Explain why the wording of the questions may have affected the results.