http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Introduction to the ESRC Question Bank

Julie LambDepartment of Sociology

University of Surrey

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Aims of the presentation

• Introduction • The Question Bank – a brief

introduction• Advantages and disadvantages of

using available questions• The Survey Link Scheme

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

What is the Qb?

• Established in 1996 when there were few online survey resources and questionnaires were often hard to find.

• 1995 – 2005 part of Centre for Applied Social Surveys

• Now a stand alone resource funded by ESRC at the University of Surrey

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Who is it for?

• Aimed at;• Researchers devising survey questions• Secondary data analysts• Teachers and students of research methods

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Qb Key Aims

1. Bridge the gap of understanding between survey professionals and academic researchers;

2. Provide standardised quantitative measures of key variables;

3. Capture key survey instruments; and4. Be freely available online (no

registration)

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

What material do we hold?

– Questionnaires from important social surveys

– Question background material– Commentary on topics and concepts– NO DATA!

• Three main areas of the site;– Surveys– Topics– Resources

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Surveys

Main Menu

Alphabetical List

Type and Coverage

Questionnaire years held

Data source

Overviews

Original source

Introduction and history

Methods

Further Info (including a link to the

data)

Resource Map

Information held

about the survey on

the Qb

Topics associated

Web Links

QUESTIONNAIRES!

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Questionnaires

• All in original format• CAPI• PDF files for easy download• Chunked for easy navigation• Related material, e.g. diaries,

advance letters

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Topics

• 22 Key social science topic areas• Commentary on social measurement

in those areas• Key Variables chapters• Links• Bibliographies

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Resources

• All about the QB! (User Guide)• CAPI explained • Harmonisation Booklets• Survey Link Scheme• Teaching presentations• Contact details

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Searching the QB

• 40,000 pages, 57 Surveys, 21 Topics

= A lot of material !! • Three strategies

– Surveys menu (going directly to the required file)

– Topics menu– The Search Engine

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

The Search Engine

– Indexes entire site everyday and creates a database for user to search

– Searches HTML and PDF documents– Highlights ALL keywords– Directs you to the file (you need Adobe Reader)

-Search by Year and Survey if desired

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

The Future Qb

• New funding period began November 2005

• Expanded funding to provide 2 new research staff, one full time administrator and a part time administrator

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Priorities for Nov 2005 – Aug 08

• Updating and expansion of existing content• Work to enhance the Topic area of the site• Include a limited selection of European surveys• Research into how CAPI should be represented• Research into the effects on users of the DDI (nb

– Qb has now joined the DDI alliance)• Continue to outreach to UK and International

academic and research communities

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Uses of questions

– Ready-made questions– Traceable route – from analysis

back to questions– Check for validity and reliability of

questions – Use existing questions to develop

concepts

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Using Questions…

• Examples of Question use by researchers:– Locating specific variable in a dataset– Taking example of questions from

existing surveys– Finding out about a survey not carried

out in your department / research area– Tendering for a survey– Responding to queries from policy

makers

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Advantages

• The questions are likely to be good indicators of the original measurement concept, and include response categories

• In many cases you can see the response rates to the question using NESSTAR

• Savings in terms of;– Costs – no developers needed– Time – researching and testing– No pilot testing needed of individual questions (still of

the whole questionnaire though)• Comparisons to other surveys in the field• Look at the show cards, advance letters, survey

design and so on

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Disadvantages

• Might not find exactly what you need (or may measure wrong concept)

• Copyright issues (especially with instruments)

• Need a very good understanding of the original context (takes time to read and find)

• Context within the Blaise questionnaire (routing)

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

What does a CAPI questionnaire look like on paper?

• Blaise codes either left in or taken out – If left in the questions are difficult to

follow– If taken out there is no way for the

researcher to see the routing

• Most research reports with a questionnaire at the back have a modified version of the Blaise codes

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Using the Qb: Summary

• Readily accessible bank of questions• Entire surveys available for download• Questions

– Process of operationalisation already proofed

– Benchmarked officially– Tried and tested in the field– Chunked ready for download

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

The Team

• Qb Director Martin Bulmer• Qb Manager Julie Lamb • Qb Content Manager Graham Hughes• Qb Researcher Laura Hyman• Qb Administrator Zoe Tenger• E-mail: qb@surrey.ac.uk• http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

Feedback

• Help us to develop the Qb resource• Online user survey• Contact us: qb@surrey.ac.uk• Join the mailing list!

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

The Survey Link Scheme

• Qb works very closely with the SLS team• Provide training days in survey data

collection focusing particularly on CAPI and upon it’s use in one particular major survey in each workshop

• Try to arrange for participants from training days to go out with an interviewer in the field

• http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sls.htm

Survey

Link

Scheme

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

The Workshops

• FREE chance to find out about data collection in the field

• Held around the UK• Each focuses on a different survey• The day includes:

– Introduction to CAPI and Blaise software– Introduction to the Qb– Survey team from an agency running through

the data collection for that survey, including practical work on computers

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sls.htm

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk