Reference no: EM132250375
The General Social Survey began in the 1970s and continues to be a wonderful source for public opinion data. Many social scientists rely on the GSS for data. For this assignment explore the GSS and assess the design of a particular question that they ask.
Explore the website, create an account, and take a look at some of the data available on the site.
Once you become familiar with the website, go to the VARIABLE SEARCH PAGE and browse a variable of interest to you. You might consider searching for a subject relevant to your topic for your research proposal. Enter a KEYWORD on the left side of the screen or CHOOSE SUBJECTSby topic under the FILTER BY SUBJECT OPTION.
Pick one question and assess its design. Watch out - some people become addicted to searching on the GSS!
Write a one-page (double-spaced, 12 point font, one inch margin) essay assessing the design of the survey question that you selected. Be sure to consider the tips from the reading by Besen-Cassino and Cassino and even considerations of bias raised by Sampson. (Be sure to cite at least one reading for full credit)
Survey QuestionsQuestions associated with this variable:
A. Are there any situations that you can imagine in which you would approve of a man punching an adult male stranger?
B. Was drunk and bumped into the man and his wife on the street?
Babbie stresses the need for clear and relevant questions. I might edit the length and wording of the prompt. I also might reword "man and his wife" to reflect coupling trends in 2016. I would also address response options in my paper and consider Fowler and Fowler's suggestions.