Chapter 18—Fieldwork TRUE/FALSE In field research, the data collection process is typically conducted by the same person who designed the research study ANS: F The actual data collection process is rarely carried out by the person who designs the research PTS: REF: p 444 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking A field research project is no better than the quality of data collected in the field ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 444 In field research studies, the people who collect the data are typically better-educated than the people who design the research studies ANS: F The people who gather the data usually have little research training or experience PTS: REF: p 444 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking Field interviewing services are research suppliers that specialize in gathering data ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 444 Normally, interviewers should be healthy, outgoing, and well groomed and tailored ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 444 An important aspect of the field interviewer's job is to establish rapport with respondents ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 444 The goal of field interviewer training sessions is to ensure that each respondent is provided with common information ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 445 It is an ethical issue for the interviewer to tell the potential respondent the correct expected length of the interview session ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 446 © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part 9 The foot-in-the-door technique begins with a large initial request that nearly everyone will react negatively followed by a second request for a smaller favor ANS: F This is the door-in-the-face technique PTS: REF: p 447 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 10 One major rule for asking questions is to ask questions exactly as they are worded in the questionnaire ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 447 11 Rewarding interviewers based on how many completed questionnaires he or she produces is the most effective way of obtaining questionnaires completed correctly ANS: F One reason interviewers may stray from the instructions is that field supervisors reward an interviewer based on how many completed questionnaires he or she produces PTS: REF: p 448 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 12 One probing tactic is to repeat the question for a respondent ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 448 13 When an interviewer asks the respondent a question and then waits patiently and expectantly for the respondent to answer it, this is known as a neutral probe ANS: F This is referred to as a silent probe PTS: REF: p 449 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 14 In recording answers to open-ended questions during field interviews, it is important for the interviewer to summarize the general meaning of the respondent's responses to questions ANS: F The general instruction for recording open-ended questions is to record the response verbatim PTS: REF: p 450 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 15 In field interviews, the interviewer should not indicate his probes to the respondent's answers to questions on the interview form ANS: F All probes should be included on the interview form and are usually indicated by placing them in parentheses PTS: REF: p 450 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 16 Interviewer training sessions should include instructions as to how to close the interview with the respondent in a graceful manner © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 451 17 One basic principle of good interviewing practice is to have integrity and be honest ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 452 18 To avoid interviewer bias, interviewers should not be aware of the sample procedure ANS: F The briefing session covers the sampling procedure as a number of research projects allow the interviewer to be at least partially responsible for selecting the sample PTS: REF: p 454 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 19 An important aspect of the field supervisor's job is to ensure that the study's sampling plan is being conducted according to the research design ANS: T PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 455 MULTIPLE CHOICE The person responsible for data collection in the field is called a(n): a fieldworker b probe c briefer d intermediary ANS: A PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 444 Which of the following is an example of a fieldworker? a a phone interviewer who makes calls from a central location b an observer who notes which aisles in a supermarket shoppers avoid c a person who goes door-to-door asking questions of homeowners d all of the above ANS: D PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 444 A research supplier that specializes in gathering data is called a(n): a syndicated research service b field interviewing service c compliance company d briefing service ANS: B PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 444 Jay is employed by Kraft Foods and conducts interviews and collects survey data for consumer research projects undertaken by Kraft Foods Jay is a(n): © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part a b c d in-house interviewer primary interviewer field service provider ethnographer ANS: A PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 444 The training session to ensure that each interviewer is provided with common information is called a(n): a touchpoint b probe c briefing session d orientation session ANS: C PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 445 When a field worker calls a potential respondent and says: "Good evening My name is Jim Smith and I'm calling from Burke Marketing Research in Cincinnati, Ohio," what aspect of the interviewer training program is being conducted? a recording responses b making initial contact c closing the interview d probing ANS: B PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 446 When a field interviewer attempts to obtain a respondent's agreement to participate in a 90-minute depth interview after the respondent has already answered two short questions from the interviewer, this is an example of: a the door-in-the-face technique b probing c the foot-in-the-door technique d verification ANS: C PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 447 When a phone interviewer asks a respondent if they would be willing to fill out a ten- page survey that would be mailed to them the following week, and when receiving a negative response to that request, asks the respondent if she would answer three short questions over the phone at the present time, this is an example of: a the foot-in-the-door technique b probing c the door-in-the-face technique d verification ANS: C PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 447 Which of the following is an important guideline for field interviewers? a ask the questions in the exact sequence given on the interview questionnaire b ask every question on the interview questionnaire © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part c ask all questions exactly as they are worded on the interview questionnaire d all of the above ANS: D PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 447 10 All of the following are possible probing tactics EXCEPT: a repeating the question b asking a neutral question c ignoring the respondent’s reply d using a silent probe ANS: C PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: pp 448-449 11 When the interviewer asks the question again after the respondent has failed to answer the question, this is an example of: a repeating the question b a silent probe c an expectant pause d asking a neutral question ANS: A PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 448 12 When an interviewer is faced with a situation in which a respondent has not answered a question, and the interviewer leans forward in her chair to look at the respondent in such a way to communicate that the interviewer expects the respondent to answer the question, this is an example of: a repeating the question b asking a neutral question c a silent probe d verification ANS: C PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 449 13 When an interviewer conducts a taste test for a new soft drink and asks the respondent how the product tastes, and the respondent replies: "Pretty good," and then the interviewer asks: "Why you feel that way?", this is an example of: a a neutral question b an expectant pause c a silent probe d repeating the question ANS: A PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 449 14 When an interviewer conducts a taste test for a new type of pizza and the respondent replies: "Good" to the question: "How does that pizza taste?", and then the interviewer asks: "What you mean by 'good'?", this is an example of: a an expectant pause b a silent probe c a neutral question d verification ANS: C PTS: REF: p 449 © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 15 Which probing technique is effective in seeking clarification or elaboration? a repeat the respondent’s answer b silence c repeat the question word for word d ask the respondent to read the question themselves ANS: A PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 449 16 Which of the following is a suggestion for recording the answer to open-ended interview questions? a record responses verbatim b include all probes c not paraphrase respondent's answers to questions d all of the above ANS: D PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 450 17 Which of the following is a basic principle for good interviewing techniques? a have patience and tack b pay attention to accuracy and detail c keep the respondent's answers confidential d all of the above ANS: D PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 452 18 All of the following are required practical rules for research inquiry that should be followed EXCEPT: a complete the questionnaires meticulously b change how questions are asked based on the situation c keep control of each interview d compare sample execution and assigned quota with the total number of questionnaires completed ANS: B PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: pp 452-453 19 When an interviewer decides not to ask respondents their annual salary because she does not want to embarrass them, and, instead, makes "her best guess" about the respondent's salary, this is an example of: a verification b interviewer cheating c a verbatim response d verification ANS: B PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 456 20 After calling several respondents, a supervisor learned that a fieldworker filled in fake answers on several surveys rather than contacting respondents The fieldworker’s behavior is an example of: a curb-stoning b validation c asking a neutral question © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part d interviewer bias ANS: A PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 456 21 In field interviews, about what percentage of completed interviews are typically verified by field supervisors? a percent b 15 percent c 25 percent d 40 percent ANS: B PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 457 22 When a field supervisor phones a respondent to obtain her reactions to the interviewer and also asks some basic demographic information about the respondent's age and zip code, the field supervisor is conducting: a a silent probe b a briefing session c a verification of the data d triangulation ANS: C PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 457 COMPLETION A person who is responsible for field data collection is called a(n) ANS: fieldworker PTS: REF: p 444 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking A research supplier that specializes in data collection is called a(n) ANS: field interviewing service PTS: REF: p 444 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking When a company that is conducting the research has one of its own staff work as a data collection specialist in the field, this staff member is called a(n) ANS: in-house interviewer PTS: REF: p 444 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking The interviewer training session is called a session ANS: briefing PTS: REF: p 445 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part 5 When potential respondents are asked to agree to a small request (e.g a five-minute interview) in the hope that they will agree to a much larger request (e.g a 90-minute depth interview), this is an example of the technique ANS: foot-in-the-door PTS: REF: p 447 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking When potential respondents are asked to agree to a large request (e.g a 2-hour depth interview), and when they refuse, are asked if they would agree to a short 15-minute interview, this is an example of the technique ANS: door-in-the-face PTS: REF: p 447 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking The compliance technique has the potential to be unethical if the respondent is deceived with an illegitimate initial request ANS: door-in-the-face PTS: REF: p 447 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking When a field interviewer asks a respondent to elaborate on a brief response in order to understand better what the respondent really meant, this is called a(n) technique ANS: probing PTS: REF: p 448 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking When a field interviewer believes that the respondent has more to say to a question and waits patiently for the respondent to continue talking, this is called a(n) ANS: silent probe PTS: REF: p 449 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 10 When an interviewer is trained to record the respondent's answers to open-ended questions by using the exact words used by the respondent, this is another way of saying: "Record the respondent's answers .” ANS: verbatim PTS: REF: p 450 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 11 When an interviewer fills in answers on an interview form without asking the respondent the questions, this is a form of interviewer ANS: cheating PTS: REF: p 456 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 12 Interviewer cheating in which he or she falsifies interviews, merely filling in fake answers rather than contacting respondents is sometimes referred to as © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part ANS: curb-stoning PTS: REF: p 456 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking 13 When a field supervisor contacts respondents by phone to determine their reaction to the interviewer and asks them basic demographic questions in an attempt to ensure that interviewer cheating did not occur, this is the process of ANS: verification PTS: REF: p 457 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking ESSAY Describe the role and job requirements of fieldworkers ANS: Fieldworkers gather research information and data in the field The activities they perform vary substantially Various field interviewing services and full-service research agencies perform all manner of personal surveys including central location telephone interviewing, mall intercepts, and other forms of fieldwork Normally, interviewers should be healthy, outgoing, and of pleasing appearance that is, well groomed and tailored An essential part of the interviewing process is establishing rapport with the respondent PTS: REF: p 444 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking| AACSB: Communication List the skills to cover when training inexperienced interviewers ANS: Training inexperienced interviewers should include: (1) How to make initial contact with the respondent and secure the interview (2) How to ask survey questions (3) How to probe (4) How to record responses (5) How to terminate the interview PTS: REF: p 445 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking| AACSB: Communication Discuss probing tactics interviewers can use when respondents give no answer, incomplete answers, or provide an answer that needs clarification ANS: Interviewers have several possible probing tactics to choose from, depending on the situation: (1) Repeating the question - the respondent may not have understood the question or decided how to answer it (2) Using the silent probe - an expectant pause or look may motivate the respondent to gather his or her thoughts and give a complete response (3) Repeating the respondent’s reply - this may stimulate the respondent to expand on the answer (4) Asking a neutral question - may specifically indicate the type of information that the interviewer is seeking © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part PTS: REF: pp 448-449 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking| AACSB: Communication List the eight practical rules (required practices) of research inquiry that should be followed and used without exception ANS: (1) Complete the number of interviews according to the sampling plan assigned to you (2) Follow the directions provided (3) Make every effort to keep schedules (4) Keep control of each interview you (5) Complete the questionnaires meticulously (6) Check over each questionnaire you have completed (7) Compare your sample execution and assigned quota with the total number of questionnaires you have completed (8) Clear up any questions with the research agency PTS: REF: pp 452-453 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking| AACSB: Communication Discuss the activities involved in the management of fieldworkers ANS: Fieldwork management is an essential part of the research process One activity in the management of fieldworkers is conducting a briefing session for experienced interviewers Regardless of a fieldworker’s level of experience, they always need to be informed about the individual project This briefing includes the background of the sponsoring organization, sampling techniques, asking of questions, callback procedures, and other matters specific to the particular project Any special instructions should also be covered during the training session The briefing session also covers the sampling procedure, especially since a number of research projects allow the interviewer to be at least partially responsible for selecting the sample Finally, managers must supervise fieldworkers to minimize errors Direct supervision of their work is necessary to ensure that the techniques communicated in the training sessions are implemented in the field This supervision includes sampling verification, reducing interviewer cheating, and verification by reinterviewing PTS: REF: pp 453-457 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking| AACSB: Communication © 2010 Cengage Learning All Rights Reserved May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part  ... Discuss the activities involved in the management of fieldworkers ANS: Fieldwork management is an essential part of the research process One activity in the management of fieldworkers is conducting... ANS: A PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 449 14 When an interviewer conducts a taste test for a new type of pizza and the respondent replies: "Good" to the question: "How does that... ANS: C PTS: NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking REF: p 449 13 When an interviewer conducts a taste test for a new soft drink and asks the respondent how the product tastes, and the respondent replies: