International Journal of Public Opinion Research - current issue

Editorial: Comparative Survey Research

Smith, T. W. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

Measuring the Quality of Real-Time Telephone Survey Interpreters

Link, M. W., Battaglia, M. P., Osborn, L., Frankel, M. R., Mokdad, A. H. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

Real-time interpretation during a survey can expand the number of languages in which surveys are offered. There are questions, however, about the quality of the interpretation process given that the interview is typically not pretranslated. A detailed assessment of the quality of this approach is provided using behavior-coding of interviews conducted with respondents who otherwise would have been finalized as "language barrier nonrespondents." Interviews were recorded and behavior-coded, quantifying for each question, (1) the accuracy of the interpretation of the question, (2) the accuracy of the interpreted response, (3) the degree of difficulty administering the question, (4) the number of times the question needed to be repeated, and (5) the number of times the interpreter and respondent engaged in dialogue that was not relayed to the interviewer. The approach produced favorable results, with less than a 4 percent error rate for interpretation of the questions and a 1.4 percent error rate in interpretation of survey responses.

Cross-national Comparability of Survey Attitude Measures

Heath, A., Martin, J., Spreckelsen, T. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

Many international surveys include batteries of questions which are combined to form scales by secondary analysts who often treat these scales as unproblematic. However, to be able to make valid cross-national comparisons of values on scales such as these, we need to be sure that the variations genuinely reflect differences in populations rather than being due to various forms of error. In order to illustrate the kinds of problems that can occur, and to explore ways of dealing with them, we examine items from the 2003 ISSP module on national identity. We show that differences between countries in response rates and other features of survey design are associated with the substantive outcomes and that ignoring these methodological problems will affect the validity of cross-national comparisons. We also examine whether the items can be assumed to have equivalence of meaning across the different countries in terms of their contributions to measuring two dimensions of national identity: civic and ethnic. We conclude that certain items do not seem to have the same meaning in all countries, thus jeopardizing the validity of cross-national comparisons using these scales. We suggest that the methods used and the lessons to be learnt can be applied to other items and cross-national datasets.

Events and Reliability of Measures: The Effect of Elections on Measures of Interest in Politics

Solvak, M. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

This article aims to determine whether elections affect the level of interest in politics. The European Social Survey's (ESS) long fieldwork periods make it possible to compare the change in levels of interest in politics as election time approaches and campaigns intensify, or as elections pass and the attention of the public turns toward other issues. The scope and comparability of the ESS allows for seeing possible effects on a cross-national level. The distance from the last parliamentary election and the distance to the next election are calculated for all cases in the database. The distance is then compared with the change of levels in variables measuring interest in politics throughout the fieldwork period. Additionally, changes in the mean values for each fieldwork month in countries where the ESS was fielded during elections is also compared. Results show that the distance from the last election and the distance to the next election are not correlated with a change in the levels of interest in politics. Furthermore, changes in the mean levels of interest in politics are within the error margins for fieldwork months that coincided with election months.

Measurement Models Matter: Implicit Assumptions and Cross-national Research

Medina, T. R., Smith, S. N., Long, J. S. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

The availability of cross-national survey data has grown exponentially in recent years. While much attention has been paid to increasing the comparability of indicators across countries, less has been done to increase the comparability of measurement models. This article examines the implicit assumptions of four different approaches to measurement modeling—summative scales, pooled exploratory factor analysis, multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis, and locally-conditioned factor analysis, and explores whether substantive conclusions in cross-national work can vary depending on the choice of measurement model. We find that results can vary by method and suggest that (i) the measurement modeling process itself be a critical part of cross-national research, and (ii) analysts be prepared to fully explain and defend measurement modeling decisions. A thorough understanding of the implicit assumptions of measurement modeling is required to avoid drawing conclusions that are little more than arbitrary.

Gender-Role Egalitarianism--Is the Trend Reversal Real?

Braun, M., Scott, J. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

Validity of Borrowed Questionnaire Items: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Amer, S. R., Ingels, S. J., Mohammed, A. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

In support of a country-wide educational reform, the Supreme Education Council created the Qatar National Education Database System. We describe this system and use analytic techniques to tentatively evaluate some aspects of the quality of its scaled attitudinal information. In particular, we stress the importance of developing criteria for ensuring the validity of "borrowed" measures. We also point to the desirability of longitudinal data quality research in the context of a culture in which measurement instruments such as questionnaires have gone from little or no use to a newly familiar feature of the educational landscape.

Michael Wolffsohn and Thomas Brechenmacher (2008). Deutschland, judisch Heimatland. Die Geschichte der deutschen Juden vom Kaiserreich bis heute

Petersen, T. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

Nicholas J. G. Winter (2008). Dangerous Frames. How Ideas About Race and Gender Shape Public Opinion.

Hancock, A.-M. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

Recent Books in the Field of Public Opinion Research

de Boer, C. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

Recent Articles in the Field of Public Opinion Research

Mortimore, R. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

WAPOR News

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:21 PDT

Frame Flow Between Government and the News Media and its Effects on the Public: Framing of North Korea

Lim, J., Seo, H. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:27:22 PDT