Survey Research
Anchoring Vignettes
Methods for when different respondents (perhaps from
different cultures, countries, or ethnic groups), or
respondents and investigators, understand survey questions in
different ways. Also includes an approach to developing
theoretical definitions of complicated concepts apparently
definable only by example (i.e., "you know it when you see
it").
- The original article that lays out the idea, develops the
basic models, and gives examples. Gary King; Christopher J.L.
Murray; Joshua A. Salomon; and Ajay Tandon. "Enhancing the Validity and Cross-cultural Comparability
of Measurement in Survey Research," American
Political Science Review, Vol. 97, No. 4 (December,
2003), 567-584; reprinted, with printing errors corrected,
Vol. 98, No. 1 (February, 2004): 191-207. (Abstract: HTML | Article: PDF)
- Develops methods for selecting vignettes and new,
simpler, nonparametric methods requiring fewer assumptions
for analyzing anchoring vignettes data. Gary King and
Jonathan Wand. "Comparing Incomparable
Survey Responses: New Tools for Anchoring Vignettes,"
Political Analysis, 15, 1 (Winter, 2007): Pp. 46-66.
(Abstract: HTML | Article: PDF)
- Daniel Hopkins and Gary King, "Improving
Anchoring Vignettes: Designing Surveys to Correct Interpersonal
Incomparability," Public Opinion Quarterly,
forthcoming (Abstract: HTML |
Paper: PDF)
- Many more details, examples, videos, software, etc. can
be found at the The Anchoring Vignettes
Website: HTML
How Surveys Work
- D. Steven Voss; Andrew Gelman; and Gary King.
Pre-Election Survey Methodology: Details
From Nine Polling Organizations, 1988 and 1992,
Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 59 (1995): Pp.
98-132. (Abstract: HTML | Article: PDF)
- Resolution of a paradox in the study of American voting
behavior. Gelman, Andrew and Gary King. Why
Are American Presidential Election Campaign Polls So Variable
When Votes are So Predictable?, British Journal of
Political Science, Vol. 23, No. 1 (October, 1993): Pp.
409-451. (Abstract: HTML |
Article: PDF)
Related Research
-
Imputing Missing Data due to survey
nonresponse: Website
-
Analyzing Rare Events, including
rare survey outcomes and alternative methods of sampling
for rare events: Website
-
Estimating Mortality by Survey
using surveys of siblings or other groups, as well as
methods designed for estimating cause-specific mortality
that applies more generally for extrapolating from one
population to another: Website