Our research on Survey Instruments aims to increase the quality of measurement in surveys. Thus, we develop quality-tested data collection instruments, adapt existing instruments for their use as German-speaking instruments or we harmonize different instruments. We investigate the effects of questionnaire design in different modes of data collection and examine response styles. Furthermore we look at the response process by using behavioral data produced by eye tracking systems. So we are able to generate knowledge about these important cognitive processes.
Exemplary research topics are:
- Harmonization of data collection instruments
- Measurement of occupation in cross-cultural context
- Development and validation of short scales for non-cognitive skills
- New methods of cognitive pretesting, e.g. web probing and eye-tracking
- Effects of questionnaire design on quality and equivalence of measurement
- Relevance, structure and determinants of acquiescence
- Estimation of reliability and validity with Structural Equation Models
- Selection of items by means of Ant-Colony-Algorithms
Learn more about our consulting and services:
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Items and Scales
Research tested items and scales or request us to develop new ones for your research project
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Socio-structural variables
Consulting on the measurement of socio-structural characteristics
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Survey Instruments
Consulting on questionnaire design, item and scale development, socio-structural characteristics and questionnaire translations
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Translations
Consultation on the translation of multilingual and international questionnaires
- Behr, Dorothée, Michael Braun, Lars Kaczmirek, and Wolfgang Bandilla. 2011. "The use of probing questions in cross-national web surveys: the case of "civil disobedience"." 4th European Survey Research Association Conference (ESRA).
- Becker, Birgit, Oliver Klein, and Nicole Biedinger. 2011. "Do children of immigrants catch up until the beginning of school?: The development of cognitive, language and cultural skills from age three to six." SLLS International Conference 2011.
- Dorer, Brita. 2011. "Advance Translation in the European Social Survey (ESS) Round 5, 2010." 10th Conference of the European Sociological Association (ESA). Geneva (Switzerland).
- Behr, Dorothée, and Brita Dorer. 2011. "Session (co-)convenor. Pioneering survey translation: Frontier research in questionnaire translation and multilingual measurement instruments I and II (Session)." 4th European Survey Research Association (ESRA) Conference, Lausanne.
- Dorer, Brita. 2011. "Advance Translation in the European Social Survey (ESS) Round 5, 2010." 4th Conference of the European Survey Research Association (ESRA). Lausanne (Switzerland).