scholarly journals The problems of wording survey questions: sociological-linguistic analysis

Author(s):  
Larisa Vsevolodovna Grekhneva ◽  
Sergei Valer'evich Krivov ◽  
Sergey Valer'evich Starkin

The critical part of preparation for conducting a mass survey is the proper wording of questions that allows revealing and assessing the preferences, experience and motives of respondents’ behavior. Despite the importance of adequate sampling of respondents and use of effective processing techniques of the acquired information, the result of research would be inaccurate without properly worded and comprehensible questions. The choice of words and putting them together is crucial for understanding of the question and its interpretation by a respondent; even small differences in wording may significantly affect the results. This article is an attempt of carrying out a sociological-linguistic analysis of the problems associated with wording of questions for mass surveys on the relevant political topics. The analysis of survey questions used in public opinion polling determined a number of important factors that influence the veracity and accuracy of research results. The detected problems are multifaceted and reflect different aspects of working survey questions. The analysis of structural aspect demonstrated the significance of proper choice of the type of question, either open-ended or close-ended. The suitability of one or another type is first and foremost defined by the content of question, objectives and tasks of research, and characteristics of respondents. Examination of the spoken form of questions (linguistic aspect) emphasized the importance of selection of linguistic units for comprehensible wording. The paramount role is played by lexical and syntactic linguistic units. The results of semantic analysis of the wording of survey questions is also important. The key problems within the framework of this aspect are associated with imposition of certain answers using imbalanced or suggestive questions, as well as various negative effects that appear as a result of particular placement of questions in a survey or creation a necessary context. All of the aforementioned problems significantly affect the quality of the conducted surveys.

2020 ◽  
pp. 92-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. I. Bakhtigaraeva ◽  
A. A. Stavinskaya

The article considers the role of trust in the economy, the mechanisms of its accumulation and the possibility of using it as one of the growth factors in the future. The advantages and disadvantages of measuring the level of generalized trust using two alternative questions — about trusting people in general and trusting strangers — are analyzed. The results of the analysis of dynamics of the level of generalized trust among Russian youth, obtained within the study of the Institute for National Projects in 10 regions of Russia, are presented. It is shown that there are no significant changes in trust in people in general during the study at university. At the same time, the level of trust in strangers falls, which can negatively affect the level of trust in the country as a whole, and as a result have negative effects on the development of the economy in the future. Possible causes of the observed trends and the role of universities are discussed. Also the question about the connection between the level of education and generalized trust in countries with different quality of the institutional environment is raised.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-164
Author(s):  
Navruza Yakhyayeva ◽  

The quality and content of information in the article media text is based on scientific classification of linguistic features. The study of functional styles of speech, the identification of their linguistic signs, the discovery of the functional properties of linguistic units and their separation on the basis of linguistic facts is one of thetasks that modern linguistics is waiting for a solution. Text Linguistics, which deals with the creation, modeling of its structure and the study of the process of such activity, is of interest to journalists today as a science.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4(73)) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
N.S. Bagdaryyn

The article continues the author's research on the toponymy of the North-East of the Sakha Republic, in particular the Kolyma river basin, in the aspect of the interaction of related and unrelated languages. The relevance of this work is defined in the description of local geographical terminology of Yukagir origin, as a valuable and important material in the further study of toponymy of the region. For the first time, the toponymy of the Kolyma river basin becomes the object of sampling and linguistic analysis of toponyms with local geographical terms of Yukagir origin in order to identify and analyze them linguistically. The research was carried out by comparative method, word formation, structural, lexical and semantic analysis. As a result of the research, phonetic and morphological features are revealed, the formation of local geographical terms and geographical names of Yukagir origin is outlined, and previously unrecorded semantic shifts and dialectisms are revealed. The most active in the formation of terms and toponyms is the geographical term iилil / eҕal 'coast‘, which is justified by the representation of the Yukagirs’ coast' home, housing


Domiati cheese is the most popular brand of cheese ripened in brine in the Middle East in terms of consumed quantities. This study was performed to investigate the impact of the microbiological quality of the used raw materials, the applied traditional processing techniques and ripening period on the quality and safety of the produced cheese. Three hundred random composite samples were collected from three factories at Fayoum Governorate, Egypt. Collected samples represent twenty-five each of: raw milk, table salt, calf rennet, microbial rennet, water, environmental air, whey, fresh cheese, ripened cheese & swabs from: worker hands; cheese molds and utensils; tanks. All samples were examined microbiologically for Standard Plate Count (SPC), coliforms count, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) count, total yeast & mould count, presence of E. coli, Salmonellae and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). The mean value of SPC, coliforms, S. aureus and total yeast & mould counts ranged from (79×102 CFU/m3 for air to 13×108 CFU/g for fresh cheese), (7×102 MPN/ cm2 for tank swabs to 80×106 MPN/ml for raw milk), (9×102 CFU/g for salt to 69×106 CFU/g for fresh cheese) and (2×102 CFU/cm2 for hand swabs to 60×104 CFU/g for fresh cheese), respectively. Whereas, E. coli, Salmonella and L. monocytogenes failed to be detected in all examined samples. There were significant differences in all determined microbiological parameters (p ≤0.05) between fresh and ripened cheese which may be attributed to different adverse conditions such as water activity, pH, salt content and temperature carried out to improve the quality of the product.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-311
Author(s):  
Qi Huang ◽  
Chunsong Cheng ◽  
Lili Li ◽  
Daiyin Peng ◽  
Cun Zhang

Background: Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin) is commonly processed into 3 products for different clinical applications. However, a simple analytical method for quality control has rarely been reported to quickly estimate the degree of processing Huangqin or distinguish differently processed products or unqualified Huangqin products. Objective: To study a new strategy for quality control in the processing practice of Huangqin. Methods: Seven kinds of flavonoids that mainly exist in Huangqin were determined by HPLC-DAD. Chromatographic fingerprints were established to study the variation and discipline of the 3 processed products of Huangqin. PCA and OPLS-DA were used to classify differently processed products of Huangqin. Results: The results showed that baicalin and wogonoside were the main components in the crude and the alcohol Huangqin herb while baicalein and wogonin mainly existed in carbonized Huangqin. The results of mathematical statistics revealed that the processing techniques can make the quality of medicinal materials more uniform. Conclusion: This multivariate monitoring strategy is suitable for quality control in the processing of Huangqin.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1226-1234
Author(s):  
Safa Jida ◽  
Hassan Ouallal ◽  
Brahim Aksasse ◽  
Mohammed Ouanan ◽  
Mohamed El Amraoui ◽  
...  

Abstract This work intends to apprehend and emphasize the contribution of image-processing techniques and computer vision in the treatment of clay-based material known in Meknes region. One of the various characteristics used to describe clay in a qualitative manner is porosity, as it is considered one of the properties that with “kill or cure” effectiveness. For this purpose, we use scanning electron microscopy images, as they are considered the most powerful tool for characterising the quality of the microscopic pore structure of porous materials. We present various existing methods of segmentation, as we are interested only in pore regions. The results show good matching between physical estimation and Voronoi diagram-based porosity estimation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 691-705
Author(s):  
Robert P Agans ◽  
Quirina M Vallejos ◽  
Thad S Benefield

Abstract Past research has shown that commonly reported cultural group disparities in health-related indices may be attributable to culturally mediated differences in the interpretation of translated survey questions and response scales. This problem may be exacerbated when administering single-item survey questions, which typically lack the reliability seen in multi-item scales. We adapt the test-retest approach for single-item survey questions that have been translated from English into Spanish and demonstrate how to use this approach as a quick and efficient pilot test before fielding a major survey. Three retest conditions were implemented (English-Spanish, Spanish-English, and English-English) on a convenience sample (n = 109) of Latinos and non-Latinos where translated items were compared against an English-English condition that served as our control. Several items were flagged for investigation using this approach. Discussion centers on the utility of this approach for evaluating the Spanish translation of single-item questions in population-based surveys.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam Pot ◽  
Nathalie Kieusseyan ◽  
Barbara Prainsack

AbstractThe application of machine learning (ML) technologies in medicine generally but also in radiology more specifically is hoped to improve clinical processes and the provision of healthcare. A central motivation in this regard is to advance patient treatment by reducing human error and increasing the accuracy of prognosis, diagnosis and therapy decisions. There is, however, also increasing awareness about bias in ML technologies and its potentially harmful consequences. Biases refer to systematic distortions of datasets, algorithms, or human decision making. These systematic distortions are understood to have negative effects on the quality of an outcome in terms of accuracy, fairness, or transparency. But biases are not only a technical problem that requires a technical solution. Because they often also have a social dimension, the ‘distorted’ outcomes they yield often have implications for equity. This paper assesses different types of biases that can emerge within applications of ML in radiology, and discusses in what cases such biases are problematic. Drawing upon theories of equity in healthcare, we argue that while some biases are harmful and should be acted upon, others might be unproblematic and even desirable—exactly because they can contribute to overcome inequities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Micaela Porta ◽  
Massimiliano Pau ◽  
Bruno Leban ◽  
Michela Deidda ◽  
Marco Sorrentino ◽  
...  

Among the functional limitations associated with hip osteoarthritis (OA), the alteration of gait capabilities represents one of the most invalidating as it may seriously compromise the quality of life of the affected individual. The use of quantitative techniques for human movement analysis has been found valuable in providing accurate and objective measures of kinematics and kinetics of gait in individuals with hip OA, but few studies have reported in-depth analyses of lower limb joint kinematics during gait and, in particular, there is a scarcity of data on interlimb symmetry. Such aspects were investigated in the present study which tested 11 individuals with hip OA (mean age 68.3 years) and 11 healthy controls age- and sex-matched, using 3D computerized gait analysis to perform point-by-point comparisons of the joint angle trends of hip, knee, and ankle. Angle-angle diagrams (cyclograms) were also built to compute several parameters (i.e., cyclogram area and orientation and Trend Symmetry) from which to assess the degree of interlimb symmetry. The results show that individuals with hip OA exhibit peculiar gait patterns characterized by severe modifications of the physiologic trend at hip level even in the unaffected limb (especially during the stance phase), as well as minor (although significant) alterations at knee and ankle level. The symmetry analysis also revealed that the effect of the disease in terms of interlimb coordination is present at knee joint as well as hip, while the ankle joint appears relatively preserved from specific negative effects from this point of view. The availability of data on such kinematic adaptations may be useful in supporting the design of specific rehabilitative strategies during both preoperative and postoperative periods.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 4748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zdenka Gyurák Babeľová ◽  
Augustín Stareček ◽  
Dagmar Cagáňová ◽  
Martin Fero ◽  
Miloš Čambál

Work and employment are important elements of every working person’s life. If an employee loses his or her job, he or she loses an important and determining part of his or her life. To reduce the negative effects that affect the quality of an employee’s life, outplacement programs were established as a part of sustainable human resource management. Sustainable human resource management emphasises the importance of employee care. Outplacement, for its part, includes support for employees at their last stage in the organization. The main aims of the paper are to present the research results focused on the perceived usefulness of outplacement programs for dismissed employees, to analyse the relationships between the emotions felt by redundancies and other employees as well as the comparison of differences in emotions felt by different generations of dismissed employees. A valid collection tool (research questionnaire) was developed for research purposes and distributed to employees of industrial enterprises in the Slovak Republic. Overall, the research set was composed of n = 692 employees from different generational groups. The research results proved the existence of a relationships between the emotions felt by redundancies and other employees and differences in emotions felt by employees from different generational groups.


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