{"id":587,"date":"2023-11-27T14:09:43","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T22:09:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/success\/?p=587"},"modified":"2023-11-27T14:09:43","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T22:09:43","slug":"revising-a-survey-question","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/success\/2023\/11\/27\/revising-a-survey-question\/","title":{"rendered":"Revising a Survey Question"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Clare Creighton<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the fourth fall in a row, Maureen Cochran, Erin Bird, and I collaborated with campus partners on the questions that make up the Fall Student Experience survey, which goes out to all Corvallis-based undergraduate students to understand their experience and perspective in a few key areas of interest. The survey ran from October 23 \u2013 November 6 and I anticipate sharing some findings in a Winter issue of The Success Kitchen. In this post, however, I\u2019m interested in a conversation I had with Nicole Hindes, director of the Basic Needs Center (BNC) as we worked on the wording of some questions in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have a stock question we have asked on all the surveys that asks students to what degree are the listed items are a \u201cSignificant Concern,\u201d \u201cSomewhat of a Concern\u201d \u201cNot a Concern\u201d or \u201cNot applicable.\u201d One of the listed items is \u201cMeeting my current financial obligations\u201d and this year, we wanted to understand more about the \u201cSignificant Concern\u201d or \u201cSomewhat of a Concern\u201d responses to that question. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In brainstorming what to ask as a follow-up question, we were considering asking about the financial concerns students were having. Was it concerns with things like paying rent or tuition or groceries? Not being about to save for unexpected expenses or keep up with existing debts? What kinds of things were they having trouble paying for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That question felt off, but in reaching out to Nicole, she helped us understand why. At best that\u2019s a misleading way to understand degrees of poverty and need, at worst, it\u2019s laden with the assumption that we can make meaning of what they can and can\u2019t afford and what that means for them. Here\u2019s where we landed with the wording instead (it\u2019s not a perfect fit either, but it\u2019s better!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You indicated a level of concern with meeting your current financial obligations.  Please indicate which of the following are relevant for you:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n