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Learning and Evaluation/Archive/Learning modules/3Ask useful questions

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Part 1: Introduction

Welcome!
Why Survey?
Why Surveys Are Useful
Constructs
Operationalize
Survey instruments
Types of information
Attributes - a special case
Survey Objective and Planning

Part 2: Reliability & Validity

Reliability & Validity
Reliability
Validity
Face Validity
Content Validity
Criterion Validity
Construct Validity

Part 3: Question Construction

Writing Good Questions
Questions from Existing Surveys
Constructing your own Questions
Be Specific
Be Concise
Avoid Double Negatives
Minimize Social Desirability Bias
Avoid Double-barreled questions
Avoid abbreviations, jargon, technical terms, or slang
Avoid leading questions
Avoid loaded questions
Use appropriate wording
Ask useful questions
Rely on second-hand data sparsely
Use caution when asking personal questions

Part 4: Response Options

Question types
Fill-in-the-blank
Dichotomous pairs
Multiple choice
Check all that apply
Ranking
Scales
Choosing response options

Part 5: Questionnaire structure

Important considerations
Questions order
Additional Resources
Feedback

  Wikimedia Training Designing Effective Questions Menu

Ask usable questions. Collect responses at a level with which the information can easily be interpreted and applied.


Objective
To understand participant learning experiences during an editing workshop.


Very Poor
Please describe your experience during the editing workshop.
An open-ended question to understand a specific attitude is too broad; its best to first ask specific questions followed by open-ended questions for any additional comments.
Poor
Would you say that your overall experience during the editing workshop was positive or negative?
While getting a sense of participant enjoyment is important, it does not help to identify learning that occurred.
Better
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements:
  • I enjoyed learning about editing Wikimedia
  • I can tell a friend about the mission of Wikimedia
  • I feel confident that I can edit an article
  • I am confident that I can upload a photo to Commons
  • I can explain to a friend what a Wikimedia project is
With this type of question, the details of the participants' learning experience can be better understood and the workshop may be improved based on how respondents answer.