NCJ Number
90194
Journal
Police Research Bulletin Issue: 39 Dated: (Spring 1983) Pages: 32-43
Date Published
1983
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article suggests a format to follow when using questionnaires to survey the public about police practices and recommends guidelines to increase the reliability and usefulness of the information collected.
Abstract
Researchers should first define what information they are looking for and then establish their objectives, research various data collection techniques, and develop a research plan summarizing the data collection steps. The data collection and measurement procedures will be decided together with the sample size, sampling techniques, and statistical or other analyses. The type of questionnaire and application technique selected will depend on the type of data needed. The questionnaire will have to be pilot tested and validated. Researchers should avoid questions which are difficult to understand, ambiguous, or require great effort. Questions should not contain many concepts or overly broad concepts, should not include examples, and should not contain foreign words. It is important to have good quality layout and presentation, to avoid leading questions, to use well-trained and monitored interviewers, and to make questions interesting and relevant. Five reference notes are included, and sample questions are illustrated.