Henning Olsen: They are picked as flowers in a field: Tendencies in the literature on quantitative research methods and the quality assurance of survey data
This article discusses the manner in which survey data should be constructed and quality ensured as recommended by authors of methodology literature. It is based on a textual analysis of English and Scandinavian literature on quantitative research methodology. The article explores issues such as: common sense proposals regarding the construction of questionnaires, recommendations concerning question construction based on research about respondents’ understanding of question of questions and information retrieval and recommendations relating to the carrying out of survey interviews. In addition the article discusses the question of procedural guidelines for ensuring the quality of survey data, e.g. cognitive laboratory interview and split sample experiments. Finally it raises the question as to whether the data constructing aspects of survey methodology are as standardized as usually assumed.
