Cognitive Interviewing

Sessions and Times

One session, 09:30 to 16:30.

Overview

This course provides training in Cognitive Interviewing, a set of techniques used to test survey questions. The course takes participants through the stages involved in testing survey questions using cognitive interviewing techniques such as think-aloud, probing, and observation.

Topics Covered

  • What is cognitive interviewing and why is it useful?
  • Designing a cognitive interviewing study.
  • Sampling and recruitment strategies.
  • Developing a cognitive interview protocol.
  • Conducting cognitive interviews.
  • Management, analysis and interpretation of cognitive interview data.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will:

  • know what factors contribute to measurement error in surveys.
  • be able to identify the advantages and disadvantages of different pretesting methods.
  • understand the theoretical background to cognitive interviewing.
  • be able to design cognitive interview protocols and recruitment strategies.
  • be able to conduct interviews, analyse data and interpret findings.
  • achieve an awareness of the critical issues and techniques in conducting a cognitive interview.
  • increase their own ability to do cognitive interviewing.

Target Audience

You will find the course useful if:

  • you wish to acquire a theoretical understanding of the role of cognitive methods in the development and testing of survey instruments.
  • you need to plan a cognitive interviewing project for the first time.
  • you need to gain practical experience of cognitive interviewing techniques and analysis of data.
  • you commission or manage quantitative research in central or local government, health or other applied policy sectors and need to learn about pre-testing methods so you can incorporate this stage of development into your work.

No prior interviewing experience is necessary for this course, although some prior exposure to questionnaire design will be beneficial.

Cost

This course is offered at discounted rates for Social Research Association members.

£180 for SRA members

£235 for non-members.