Bias In Surveys
Bias refers to factor(s) that affect survey results and makes them unfair or incorrect. It can happen at any stage of the survey process.
Types of Bias
Sampling Bias
This occurs when the group you survey doesn’t represent the whole population. For example, if you ask only football fans about school activities, the results will be biased towards football fans.
To Avoid: Pick a random group of people from the entire population to get a fair result.
Non-Response Bias
This occurs when people don’t respond to the survey. The group that responds might not be the same as the group that didn’t respond.
To Avoid: Try to get everyone to respond or follow up with those who didn’t answer the survey.
Measurement Bias
This occurs when the way you collect data gives false results. For example, if police officers measure traffic speed, drivers may slow down when they see the police, giving inaccurate speed results.
To Avoid: Use methods like hidden sensors that won’t influence drivers.
Response Bias
This occurs when people give wrong or misleading answers, maybe because they are embarrassed or want to influence the survey results.
To Avoid: Make surveys anonymous or ask questions in a way that makes people feel comfortable to answer honestly.
Intentional Bias
This occurs when someone designs a survey to get a specific result. For example, asking a question about smoking in restaurants in a way that makes people more likely to say "No".
To Avoid: Ask neutral questions that don’t push people to a certain answer.
Types of Surveys
Surveys are ways of collecting information from people. There are different types of surveys depending on how you ask people questions.
Questionnaire Surveys
These are written surveys that people fill out on paper or online. You can ask multiple-choice questions or have people write answers.
Interview Surveys
These surveys are done by talking to people face-to-face, on the phone, or through video calls.
Phone Surveys
These surveys are done over the phone, usually asking random people to share their opinions.
Online Surveys
These surveys are done over the internet. These are common because they are quick and easy to send to many people.
Mail Surveys
These surveys are sent by mail where people fill out the survey and send it back.
Types of Questions in Surveys
The way you ask questions in a survey affects the results. Outlined below are some common types of survey questions:
Closed-Ended Questions
These questions give people a limited set of answers, like “Yes” or “No”.
Example: “Do you own a car?” (Yes/No)
Open-Ended Questions
These questions allow people to to answer in their own words and give more detailed information.
Example: “What do you think about the new traffic laws?”
Likert Scale Questions
These questions ask people to show how much they agree or disagree with something using a scale, like from 1 to 5.
Example: “How strongly do you agree with the statement: 'Climate change is a serious issue'?”
Rating Scale Questions
These questions ask people to rate something, like from 1 to 10, where 1 is bad and 10 is excellent.
Example: “How would you rate the quality of customer service you received?”
Dichotomous Questions
These questions only have two possible answers, like “Yes” or “No”.
Example: “Do you like pizza? (Yes/No)”
Multiple-Choice Questions
These questions give people several options to choose from.
Example: “What is your favorite type of music?” (Pop, Rock, Classical, Jazz)
Sampling Bias occurs when the group surveyed does not represent the entire population. For example, asking only football fans about school activities would lead to results that are biased towards football fans' opinions.
To avoid sampling bias, a random group of people from the entire population should be selected for the survey to ensure fair and accurate results.
Response Bias happens when people give incorrect or misleading answers, possibly due to embarrassment or a desire to influence the survey results.
To avoid response bias, surveys can be made anonymous or structured in a way that makes people feel comfortable to answer honestly, such as asking questions in a non judgmental manner.
Selection Bias – This occurs because the sample is not representative of the broader population, as it only includes people who already use the product.
Questionnaire Bias – This occurs when the phrasing of a question influences the response, often leading to answers that support a specific viewpoint.