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
- Widdop, Sally, Brita Dorer, and Rory Fitzgerald. 2011. "Translation Verification in the European Social Survey – help or hindrance?" 4th Conference of the European Survey Research Association (ESRA). Lausanne (Switzerland).
- Behr, Dorothée, Michael Braun, Lars Kaczmirek, and Wolfgang Bandilla. 2011. "Testing the validity of gender ideology items by implementing probing questions in web surveys." MESS-Workshop.
- Züll, Cornelia, Evi Scholz, and Dorothée Behr. 2011. "Experiments on the design of the left-right self-assessment scale." ESRA 2011: 4th Conference of the European Survey Research Association.
- Lenzner, Timo. 2012. "Effects of survey question comprehensibility on response quality." Field Methods 24 409-428. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X12448166.
- Braun, Michael, and Dorothée Behr. 2011. "Using probing techniques to assess intercultural validity: The case of attitudes towards immigrants." Measurement Invariance: Methods, Problems and Further Directions.