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The qualitative pretest interview for questionnaire development: outline of programme and practice

Author

Listed:
  • Christina Buschle

    (IU International University of Applied Sciences)

  • Herwig Reiter

    (German Youth Institute)

  • Arne Bethmann

    (Technical University of Munich (Chair for the Economics of Aging))

Abstract

Good survey research depends on asking the right questions; it is the only way to ensure that the information collected from respondents is suitable for providing good answers to our research questions. The article discusses and advocates a comprehensive consideration of qualitative-interpretive methodology in open forms of pretesting for the evaluation of draft survey questionnaires. We outline an approach we call Qualitative Pretest Interview (QPI). It transfers the idea of negotiated common understanding in everyday communication to the clarification of meaning in draft survey questions and similar stimuli. The QPI involves ascribing interview partners the role of co-experts in this process and employing methodically integrated communication strategies. This paper focusses on how QPIs are conducted. Using an example interview, we illustrate how the particular way of qualitative pretest interviewing aims at a dialogic clarification of meaning in order to reach intersubjective understanding between participant and interviewer. In the process, we gain detailed insights into how and why a certain questionnaire might not work as intended, and ideally how this might be alleviated. QPIs pursue similar goals as Cognitive Interviews but rely more systematically on qualitative-interpretive methodology.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina Buschle & Herwig Reiter & Arne Bethmann, 2022. "The qualitative pretest interview for questionnaire development: outline of programme and practice," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 823-842, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:56:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s11135-021-01156-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-021-01156-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brady T. West & Frederick G. Conrad & Frauke Kreuter & Felicitas Mittereder, 2018. "Can conversational interviewing improve survey response quality without increasing interviewer effects?," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 181(1), pages 181-203, January.
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