This proposal is to develop and test techniques identifying and diagnosing problems with questions during pretests of a survey questionnaire. Pretesting is virtually an unexplored area of survey methodology. Developing effective techniques to improve survey questions can make a significant impact on the quality of health survey data. Several major types of question problems will be examined, including comprehension and communication difficulties, complex concepts or technical terms, and difficulty in recall and information processing. The techniques to be examined were developed for other purposes and will require adapting, developing, and testing for application to pretests. These techniques include: coding interviewer and respondent interview behavior; use of special diagnostic questions and probes identifying comprehension, understanding, and information processing difficulties; special sensitivity and skill training of pretest interviewers; and use of specialized rating scales for interviewers' evaluations of questions. Experimental pretests will be conducted, using questions from existing health surveys, salted with problem questions. The goal is to develop a set of effective pretest techniques that can be used without appreciably adding to pretest time and cost.
