The Matrix Lives On: Improving Grids for Online Surveys

• Activity Number: 494
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Survey Research Methods Section
• Author(s): Randall K. Thomas* and Frances M. Barlas and Patricia Graham and Thomas Subias
• Companies: GfK Custom Research and GfK Custom Research and GfK Custom Research and GfK Custom Research
• Keywords: grid format ; measurement ; mobile survey

Abstract

In self-administered surveys, grids have evolved to efficiently measure multiple concepts using the same graded response format across a number of different targets, with responses typically in columns and the rating targets to evaluate in rows. Generally, grids allow us to assess multiple targets more quickly than if each target is presented separately. However, grids have a number of issues, and in particular affect respondent experience on mobile devices - measurement in online surveys is generally limited by screen size. In a series of 3 studies with over 80,000 respondents in total, we present experiments that examined how reducing the number of grid response categories affects the measurement of a variety of concepts. We found that response formats with fewer response categories take less time to complete, are easier to complete on mobile platforms, and show as much validity as formats with more response categories. In addition, they also appear to detect smaller differences between rating targets than those with more response categories. This higher level of differentiation was unexpected, and we explore some reasons for this occurrence.