Question

What is wrong with the following questionnaire items? a. Describe your mother’s condition during her pregnancy with you. b. Yes or No: Have you ever been involved in any accidents? c. Have you been called names and had your life threatened?

Answer 1

Questionnaire (a)

The question is

Describe your mother's condition during her pregnancy with you.

Now, one cannot describe perfectly one's mother's condition during pregnancy due to absence at that time.

So, the questionnaire is at fault.

Questionnaire (b)

Have you ever been involved in any accidents ?

Now, the question is not specific about what kind of accidents.

Because most of the subjects must have been exposed to some kind of accident at some or other time.

So, if the kind of accideent is not specific, then the survey would be biased.

Questionnaire (c)

Have you ever been called names and had your life threatened.

Now, this is not a single question; someone may have been called names, but may not have his life threatened; or vice versa.

So, some person who have experienced only one of these two, would get confused while answering.