Qualitative Validation of Surveys

Qualitative Validation of Surveys
Qualitative Validation of Surveys

Principal speaker

Dr Judy Rose

Surveys are becoming a common tool for researchers who use platforms, such as Lime Survey or REDCap, to implement online questionnaires. However, qualitative validation of surveys is a vital component of the process of survey-based research, not to be overlooked, and will enhance the validity and reliability of results. In some contexts, publication may be impeded without satisfying guidelines on validating survey instruments, such as the seven steps recommended by the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE). This session will guide participants on how to implement qualitative research techniques in the initial phases of survey validation, before quantitative survey validation techniques are applied. The qualitative techniques covered in this session are based on the seven steps outlined in the AMEE guide (Artino et al., 2014). They start (1) with a targeted literature review (to gather evidence around survey concepts, constructs and validation information from previous studies) and finish with (7) pilot testing the survey prior to implementation. The intervening steps (2-6) involve conducting interviews and/or focus groups with experts and a small group of test participants to check for relevance, precision, clarity and interpretability of survey items. This workshop also provides guidelines on how to assess different dimensions of survey validity including: face validity, construct validity, content validity and criterion validity. Finally, we review how to apply these principles and techniques to your own survey questionnaire.

Format: This workshop will be delivered online during a 2.5 hour period, via Collaborate. The last half hour will be a Q & A session.

Pre-requisites: While this workshop caters to all levels of experience, it is beneficial to consider how survey questions to be validated relate to your research questions and or/conceptual framework. Useful pre-requisites to this workshop include MM1 - MM4 which help to guide the building of a mixed methods study from foundations (MM1), conceptual framework (MM2, MM3), through to assembling surveys and interviews (MM4).

Relationship to other RED workshops. This workshop is a companion for the next workshop that should be attended if your survey uses constructs or scales ("Quantitative Validation of Surveys'), and is related to workshops on "Formulating Close-ended Questions for Surveys "and "Formulating Open-ended Questions for Surveys'.

Recommended Reading, before attending Artino Jr, A. R., La Rochelle, J. S., Dezee, K. J., & Gehlbach, H. (2014). Developing questionnaires for educational research: AMEE Guide No. 87. Medical teacher, 36(6), 463-474. Please read pp. 463 - 464


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