Description: 

The course provides an introduction to survey research methods for designing multinational and multicultural surveys, beginning with an overview of the field of comparative surveys. It introduces students to the origin and development of important comparative surveys and discusses some unique design features and implementation challenges inherent in their design and implementation. Quality and risk management frameworks for comparative surveys are presented, as are tools for monitoring quality processes and outcomes. One section of the course focuses on issues in study design, considering organizational structure, data collection infrastructure and...sues in defining objectives, identifying constructs, developing questions, and monitoring design process quality that are particular to or especially complex in the field of comparative surveys. It also covers some technical challenges in crafting questions into actual instruments for different modes of application in a multilingual and multicultural context, dealing with issues such as the visual display of text in various languages, placement of response categories and instructions, use of color, screen density, and other features of contemporary survey instruments. The large section on design and implementation concludes with a module on question adaptation and translation focusing on the critical role that version production often plays and treatment of harmonization issues as these relate to the development and implementation of socio-demographic background variables. Examples will be drawn from demographic and social indicator surveys, attitudinal surveys, health and education surveys, and quality of life surveys. I expect to have two guest presenters contribute on areas of their special expertise.