Profiling College Students Who Skip Open-Ended Items in Questionnaires With Varied Item Formats

• In Event: Methodological Issues in Survey Research

Abstract

The quality of education research is directly related to the accuracy of measurement and representativeness of the sample. Nonresponse and lack of participation in research by a particular segment of the population has the potential to limit the validity of research. The present study evaluates whether participants who responded to open-ended items were distinguishable from participants who did not respond to open-ended items in terms of language fluency and well-being. Participants completed a series of electronic questionnaires including three open-ended items. Participants with higher levels of English language fluency, lower levels of depressive symptomology, higher levels of academic self-efficacy, and a more positive affect were more likely to provide comments in response to at least one of three open-ended items.

Authors

• Patricia Wallis, Simon Fraser University

• Rachel T. Fouladi, Simon Fraser University