Question

Examine each of the following questions for possible bias. If you think the question is biased, indicate how and propose a better question. a) Should companies that pollute the environment be compelled to pay the costs of cleanup? b) Given that 18 -year-olds are old enough to vote and to serve in the military, is it fair to set the drinking age at $21?$

Short answer

Questions a and b are biased. Neutral versions consider cleanup measures and legal age factors without assumptions.

Step-by-step solution

Identify Bias in Question a

The question asks, "Should companies that pollute the environment be compelled to pay the costs of cleanup?" This question is biased because it presupposes that companies are polluting the environment and suggests a moral obligation, which may influence the respondent's answer. The use of the word 'compelled' implies a forced action, which might also introduce bias by suggesting it against the companies.

Propose a Neutral Version for Question a

A neutral version of the question would be: "What measures should be put in place concerning the environmental impact of companies, particularly regarding cleanup responsibilities?" This phrasing allows respondents to consider a variety of measures and doesn't assume guilt or suggest moral obligations.

Identify Bias in Question b

The question asks, "Given that 18-year-olds are old enough to vote and to serve in the military, is it fair to set the drinking age at 21?" This question implies that because certain responsibilities are available at 18, others should be too, potentially skewing responses towards a certain perspective. It presupposes that there is a direct correlation between these responsibilities and drinking age fairness.

Propose a Neutral Version for Question b

A neutral version might be: "What factors should determine the legal drinking age?" This revised question removes the presupposition and allows respondents to consider various factors without bias, recognizing that the responsibilities may differ in nature.

Key concepts

Question Framing

When constructing survey questions, it's essential to consider how the way questions are framed can influence the responses. The term "question framing" refers to how questions are worded and ordered, which can guide respondents toward specific answers or perspectives. Framing can introduce an unconscious bias, encouraging respondents to answer in a particular way based on the implications of those questions. For instance, in the original exercise, Question a is framed to suggest that companies are inherently guilty of pollution, which guides the respondent towards believing that these companies should be responsible for cleanup costs. Such leading frames can affect the objectivity of survey results. To minimize framing effects, it's helpful to:

• Use clear and straightforward language.
• Avoid using emotionally charged words or phrases.
• Ensure that questions are open-ended to encourage unbiased responses.

Careful question framing is vital for collecting accurate and reliable data from surveys.

Neutral Question Design

Neutral question design is all about crafting survey questions that do not lean in any particular direction. The goal is to present a question in a balanced manner so that participants feel free to express their genuine opinions without any coercion or assumption embedded in the phrasing. From the exercise, the revision of the initial question was necessary to remove bias. For example, the question about companies and environmental cleanups was rephrased to focus simply on 'environmental impact and responsibilities' rather than assuming any wrongdoing or enforcing a specific action like 'compelled to pay.' To create a truly neutral question, you should:

• Avoid adjectives and adverbs that convey emotional charge or judgment.
• Steer clear of assumptions about the respondent's thoughts or stance.
• Balance both sides of an issue when crafting questions, allowing for a broad range of responses.
• Consider if the question guides respondents to think of a particular answer or leaves room for multiple perspectives.

Neutral question design ensures that results gathered from surveys are free from bias, making them accurate reflections of the respondents' true opinions.

Survey Bias Identification

Identifying bias in survey questions is critical for ensuring valid and reliable data collection. Survey bias occurs when certain elements within the question itself influence the answer, leading to skewed results. The exercise presents examples where bias can alter the perceptions of the respondents. Question b highlights this, as it connects different age-related rights and responsibilities (like voting, military service, and drinking) under an implied fairness lens. This assumes a direct correlation between these disparate activities, thus leading responses towards questioning the justice of the legal drinking age. To effectively identify and eliminate bias:

• Analyze the implications of each word and phrase used.
• Check for unwarranted assumptions that may not align with all respondents' views.
• Include pilot testing for surveys to discover unforeseen biases in questions.
• Get feedback from diverse groups to understand different interpretations of the questions.

Detecting and correcting survey bias is a crucial step towards collecting data that accurately represents varied perspectives.