University of Wisconsin Survey Center

Faculty director, Nora Cate Schaeffer, and survey methodologist, Jen Dykema to serve as guest editors for POQ on a special issue devoted to “Measurement”

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Guest editors Nora Cate Schaeffer and Jennifer Dykema seek submissions to Public Opinion Quarterly (POQ) for a special issue of the journal devoted to “Measurement”. Measurement in survey research refers to the process of defining constructs, developing and then writing questions to measure those constructs, and fielding survey instruments. The goal of measurement is to assign numbers to survey responses to represent levels of respondents’ true values, but imprecision and inaccuracy in measurement can result from problems in any of the stages from conceptualization to data collection. We invite contributions on topics addressing measurement in survey research. Potential topics might include (but are not limited to):

  • evaluation of qualitative methods and quantitative methods to develop and test measures of constructs
  • designing questions and instruments to improve the reliability and validity of survey measurement
  • the relationship between the design of survey instruments and the style of interviewing
  • training interviewers to improve the quality of measurement
  • analysis of interviewer effects on data collection and data quality
  • effects of interview mode on data collection and data quality
  • measurement challenges in special populations and across social groups or cultures
  • measurement for special topics such as sensitive questions and biological measurements
  • the use of developments in technology to improve survey measurement
  • evaluation of methods and standards for assessing and improving data quality

The deadline for manuscript submissions is December 31, 2011. To submit a manuscript, please follow the manuscript preparation instructions provided at the journal’s website. Blinded and unblinded electronic copies of the paper should be submitted online here , and it should be clearly stated in a cover letter that the manuscript is for consideration of the special issue on measurement. Submissions will be peer-reviewed in accord with normal journal practice.For questions about this special issue, please feel free to contact the special issue guest editors, Nora Cate Schaeffer at schaeffe@ssc.wisc.edu or Jennifer Dykema at dykema@ssc.wisc.edu