Labels' Visual Separation
Labels can be visually separated by adding more space between them, separating lines or the options in boxes. The aim of this is to provide a visual distinction between the labels in the scale. Design choices are non-substantive options, neutral options, end-points, all options, or none.
Theoretical arguments
- Visual separation of labels may encourage respondents to select it and may take longer for respondents to process than when all labels are evenly spaced (Christian et al. 2009).*
- Separation calls the attention of the separated option (Tourangeau et al. 2004).*
Empirical evidence on data quality
*DeCastellarnau, A. Qual Quant (2018) 52: 1523. doi: 10.1007/s11135-017-0533-4
- Clearly separating the DK option from the substantive responses reduces missing data and produces higher reliability [Item nonresponse and Coefficient alpha] (De Leeuw et al. 2016) → YES*
- Separation of the non-substantive option leads to significant different responses, separation of the midpoint does not lead to significant differences [Response style through distribution comparison] (Christian et al. 2009) → YES*
- Separation of non-substantive options affected the distribution of answers [Response style through distribution comparison] (Tourangeau et al. 2004) → YES*
*DeCastellarnau, A. Qual Quant (2018) 52: 1523. doi: 10.1007/s11135-017-0533-4
References
Christian, L.M., Parsons, N.L., Dillman, D.A. (2009). Designing scalar questions for web surveys. Sociol. Methods Res. 37, 393–425. doi: 10.1177/0049124108330004
De Leeuw, E.D., Hox, J.J., Boeve, A. (2016). Handling do-not-know answers: exploring new approaches in online and mixed-mode surveys. Soc. Sci. Comput. Rev. 34, 116–132. doi: 10.1177/0894439315573744
Tourangeau, R., Couper, M.P., Conrad, F. (2004). Spacing, position, and order. interpretive heuristics for visual features of survey questions. Public Opin. Q. 68, 368–393. doi: 10.1093/poq/nfh035
Christian, L.M., Parsons, N.L., Dillman, D.A. (2009). Designing scalar questions for web surveys. Sociol. Methods Res. 37, 393–425. doi: 10.1177/0049124108330004
De Leeuw, E.D., Hox, J.J., Boeve, A. (2016). Handling do-not-know answers: exploring new approaches in online and mixed-mode surveys. Soc. Sci. Comput. Rev. 34, 116–132. doi: 10.1177/0894439315573744
Tourangeau, R., Couper, M.P., Conrad, F. (2004). Spacing, position, and order. interpretive heuristics for visual features of survey questions. Public Opin. Q. 68, 368–393. doi: 10.1093/poq/nfh035