Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

SURVEY RESEARCH

The logic behind these three formats is that
many respondents will answer a question if a “no-
opinion” choice is missing, but they pick “don’t
know” when we offer it, or say they do not have an
opinion if asked directly. These respondents are
floatersbecause they “float” from responding to
questions they understand and have knowledge
about responding to questions which they have no
knowledge and do not understand. Minor wording
changes are likely to change their answers. Quasi-
filter or full-filter questions help screen out floaters.
Filtered questions may not eliminate all respondents
answering to nonexistent issues, but they reduce the
problem.
Middle alternative floaters will choose a
middle position when we offer it but another alter-
native if we do not. They feel ambivalent or less
intense about an issue. There may be a slight
recency effect; that is, respondents tend to choose

the last alternative offered. The recency effect sug-

gests that we should present responses on a con-

tinuum and place the neutral position in the middle.

Attitudes have two aspects: direction (for or

against) and intensity (strongly held or weakly

held). For example, two respondents both oppose

abortion. One is fiercely attached to the opinion and

strongly committed to it; the other holds the opin-

ion weakly and is wavering. If we ask only an

EXPANSION BOX 6

Standard-Format, Quasi-Filter, and Full-Filter Questions

STANDARD FORMAT

Here is a question about another country. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

“The Russian leaders are basically trying to get along with America.”

QUASI-FILTER

Here is a statement about another country: “The Russian leaders are basically trying to

get along with America.” Do you agree, disagree, or have no opinion on that?

FULL FILTER

Here is a statement about another country. Not everyone has an opinion on this. If you

do not have an opinion, just say so. Here’s the statement: “The Russian leaders are basi-

cally trying to get along with America.” Do you have an opinion on that? No (go to next

question), Yes (continue). Do you agree or disagree?

Example of Results from Different Question Forms

Standard Format (%) Quasi-Filter (%) Full Filter (%)

Agree 48.2 27.7 22.9

Disagree 38.2 29.5 20.9

No opinion 13.6* 42.8 56.3

*Volunteered

Source:Adapted from Schuman and Presser (1981). Questions and Answers in Attitude Surveys: Experi-

ments in Question Form, Wording, and Context(116–125). Academic Press. With permission from Elsevier.

Standard format is from Fall 1978; quasi- and full-filter forms are from February 1977.

Floaters Survey research respondents without the

knowledge or an opinion to answer a survey question

but who answer it anyway, often giving inconsistent

answers.

Recency effect A result in survey research that

occurs when respondents choose the last answer

response offered rather than seriously considering all

answer choices.