in the setup of your survey.
Please read the instructions below AND for the Lab this week before responding to this discussion.
The purpose of this lab exercise is to introduce you to constructing a measurement instrument. For this exercise, you will construct and evaluate an attitude questionnaire. Follow the guidelines on survey writing in your textbook.
Decide on a topic about which attitudes will be tested. Topics might include issues relating to current events (e.g., attitudes toward recycling, the president’s policies), individual attitudes (e.g., sex roles), or any other topic that interests you. The only restriction is that you choose a nonsensitive topic (e.g., don’t develop a questionnaire on sexual or religious attitudes).
- Identify your variables.
- The Independent Variable should be a single simple IV that is categorical (for example age, gender, political affiliation, etc.). This will make it possible for you to look at the data more easily as you will be able to compare the means. One item on your survey will collect data for the IV.
- The Dependent Variable should be an attitude where it will make sense to have a total/sum score of the items. For example, if you have 10 items, each on a scale of 1-5, the sum score range would be between 10 (if all 1s were selected) to 50 (if all 5s were selected). Keep this in mind when writing your items. You will have 9-10 items on your survey to assess the DV (depending on if you use the free survey monkey, which limits you to 10 items total- or Google forms).
- See the instructions in the lab and consult your textbook on how to write survey items.
In the discussion below, post the following:
- The alternative, H1, and null, Ho, hypothesis
- The Independent Variable including the levels and type of variable and scale
- The Dependent Variable including the type of variable and scale
- The one survey item that will assess the IV.
- The instructions for the attitude scale.
- An example survey question used for the Dependent Variable. Make sure to read the lab information on Likert scales, as these items should all be on a Likert scale. You will write 9-10 items all working towards the DV so that you end up with a SUM score total.
Post any additional questions you may have as well. Use this forum to help successfully complete the Lab this week.
Important: Make sure to WAIT to complete your lab until I respond to your post.
This discussion post is due no later than Wednesday, but earlier is better so you can move forward to the lab.
Here is an example for you to follow:
- H1: Men have a more positive attitude towards eating than Women.
- Ho: Men and women do not vary on attitudes towards eating.
- IV: Gender (Men, Women), Categorical, Nominal
- DV: Attitudes towards eating, Continuous, Interval
- Indicate your gender: Male, Female, Other
- Instructions: Indicate how you feel concerning the following on the following scale where 1 = never and 5 = always
- 1. I think about portion size when I eat a meal.
Due by Wednesday!
Complete the following readings from your textbook, Research Design and Methods: A Process Approach:
- Chapter 9: Doing Survey Research
Chapter 9 Lecture: Please click on the voice icon to hear the lecture for each slide.
