Writing Questions and Virtual Design of Surveys (Online)

This course will be held over two-days (2/20/2024 AND 2/22/2024), 9am – 1pm US Eastern each day. Attendance is required as this class will not be recorded.

This course focuses on best practices for writing questions and visual design for surveys, with a focus on holistic designs in which question wording and visual design work together to produce good measurement. It draws on the empirical literature to provide practical guidelines for questionnaire design and considers mixed-mode and mixed-device surveys. The course will include PowerPoint slides and whole group and small group discussion.

This course will count as 7.0 CSS short course credit hours.

Instructor: Jolene Smyth

Jolene Smyth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Director of the Bureau of Sociological research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is co-author (with Don Dillman and Leah Christian) of Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method. Her research examines measurement error and nonresponse in surveys, including questionnaire design, visual design, mixed-mode surveys, interviewer effects, mobile web design, survey recruitment methods, and within-household selection.

Registration fees:

• UNC Chapel Hill Students: $0, with a $35 deposit to hold your spot (deposit is refundable upon your attendance for at least 66% of the course)
• UNC Chapel Hill Faculty/Staff/Postdoc/Resident/Visiting Scholars: $80
• Non-UNC Chapel Hill University Student/Employee (must have active university email): $105
• Government/Non-Profit/Corporate: $130

Additional course information:

• Registration will close at 12:01am 2/17/24. No late registrations will be accepted.
• Cancellation/ Refund Policy: A full refund will be given to those who cancel their registration no later than 10 days prior to the course. If you cancel within the 10 days prior to the class, no refund will be given. Please allow 30 days to receive your refund.
• Zoom link for those attending online will be sent prior to the course. Registration must be made at least 3 days prior to the course date to receive the Zoom link.

For questions regarding this class, please contact Jill Stevens at jill_stevens@unc.edu