(Not ME/CFS-specific) A catalog of biases in questionnaires

[Dolphin]

Choi BCK, Pak AWP. A catalog of biases in questionnaires. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online] 2005 Jan. Available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2005/jan/04_0050.htm.

This article, which is available for free at the above link, is easier to read than most published papers I think and the examples aren't particularly technical/are often very straightforward.

I previously highlighted another paper which listed biases but it was more dense : http://forums.phoenixrising.me/show...earch-(Sackett-1979-but-seems-to-be-a-classic) . However I think that is also worth a look as a lot of the biases in the Choi paper could be called "errors". But as I say this paper is quite easy to read. It's handy to have a name to give to problems with questionnaires (and to be able to reference the term).

PEER REVIEWED

Abstract*

Bias in questionnaires is an important issue in public health research.

To collect the most accurate data from respondents, investigators must understand and be able to prevent or at least minimize bias in the design of their questionnaires.

This paper identifies and categorizes 48 types of bias in questionnaires based on a review of the literature and offers an example of each type.

The types are categorized according to three main sources of bias: the way a question is designed, the way the questionnaire as a whole is designed, and how the questionnaire is administered.

This paper is intended to help investigators in public health understand the mechanism and dynamics of problems in questionnaire design and to provide a checklist for identifying potential bias in a questionnaire before it is administered.

*I gave each line its own paragraph