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Survey Instruments

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:

  • Items and Scales

    Research tested items and scales or request us to develop new ones for your research project

  • Socio-structural variables

    Consulting on the measurement of socio-structural characteristics

  • Survey Instruments

    Consulting on questionnaire design, item and scale development, socio-structural characteristics and questionnaire translations

  • Translations

    Consultation on the translation of multilingual and international questionnaires

  • Repke, Lydia, and Filip Agneessens. 2021. "Einführung: Soziale Netzwerkperspektiven - Inhalt trifft auf Struktur." easy_social_sciences (66): 50-56. doi: https://doi.org/10.15464/easy.2021.006.
  • Repke, Lydia, and Filip Agneessens. 2021. "Introduction: Network perspectives - Content meets structure." easy_social_sciences (66): 5-10. doi: https://doi.org/10.15464/easy.2021.001.
  • Nießen, Désirée, Katharina Groskurth, Christoph J. Kemper, Beatrice Rammstedt, and Clemens Lechner. 2022. "The Optimism–Pessimism Short Scale–2 (SOP2): A comprehensive validation of the English-language adaptation." Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences (4): 1. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42409-021-00027-6.
  • Neuert, Cornelia, Katharina Meitinger, and Dorothée Behr. 2023. "Open-ended versus closed probes: Assessing different formats of web probing." Sociological Methods & Research 52 (4): 1981-2015. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/00491241211031271.
  • Hadler, Patricia. 2021. "Question order effects in cross-cultural web probing: Pretesting behavior and attitude questions." Social Science Computer Review 39 (6): 1292–1312. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439321992779.