Cognitive pretesting
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Cognitive pretesting, or cognitive interviewing, is a field research method where data is collected on how the subject answers interview questions. It is the evaluation of a test or questionnaire before it's administered.[1] It allows survey researchers to collect feedback regarding survey responses and is used in evaluating whether the question is measuring the construct the researcher intends. The data collected is then used to adjust problematic questions in the questionnaire before fielding the survey to the full sample of people.[2][3][4][5][6]
Cognitive interviewing generally collects the following information from participants: evaluations on how the subject constructed their answers; explanations on what the subject interprets the questions to mean; reporting of any difficulties the subject had in answering the questions; and anything else that reveals the circumstances to the subject's answers.
Cognitive pretesting is considered essential in testing the validity of an interview, test, or questionnaire.[7]
The purpose of these pretests is to:
- make sure that the test or interview is understandable
- address any problems the participants may have had with the test
- measure participants attention and curiosity to the questions
- measure the scale of answers (Ex: is the whole scale being used, or do answers vary too much)
- assess question order and other context effects
- problems with the interviewers
- address any technical problems with the test (Ex: glitches with any technology, or grammatical errors)
- and how long it takes to take the test or interview.[1][4][6]
Types
In general, there are many methods practiced when conducting a cognitive pretest. Including: conventional pretesting, cognitive interviewing, behavior coding, respondent debriefing, group discussion, expert review, eye tracking, and web probing.[1]
Conventional pretesting-This is similar to a rehearsal that tries to imitate and model after what the real test or interview will be like. A simulation of real test or interview that takes place prior to the real one. Whatever method used in the actual interview or test should be used in this method of pretesting.[1][8]
Cognitive pretesting (cognitive interviewing)- very similar to conventional pretesting. However, the participants are actively being asked about the questions as they take the test. It's conducted during the interview or test.[1][6]
They can also be presented in multiple different ways including: written surveys, oral surveys, electronic surveys[4]
Techniques
There are certain techniques that the interviewer implements in cognitive pretesting to extract the information needed to ensure a good interview or questionnaire.
The think-aloud technique- This occurs when the interviewer asks the interviewee to vocalize their thoughts and how they came to their answer. This can be concurrent (during) or retrospective (after) the interview.[1][2]
Probing technique- This occurs when the interviewer asks the interviewee one or more follow-up questions. They 'probe' about the questions asked, terminology used, or even the responses.[1][2] Probes can be concurrent (during the task but not to be disruptive of the task) or retrospective (after the task).[9]
Paraphrasing- This occurs when the interviewer asks the interviewee to use their own words to repeat the question. This tests to make sure the questions are understandable.[1]
Confidence rating- This occurs when the interviewer asks the interviewee about their confidence in how correctly they answered the question.[1]
Sorting or Card Sorting- This occurs when the interviewer asks the interviewee or tries to understand how the interviewee categorizes certain situations or even terms.[1][9]
Vignettes- These are short descriptions of one or more hypothetical characters (similar to vignette used in psychological and sociological experiments or anchoring vignettes in quantitative survey research) and are used to investigate the respondent's cognitive processing with regard to their survey-relevant decisions.[9][10]
Web probing- This technique implements cognitive interview probing techniques in web surveys. Its strengths include standardization, anonymity, and large and fast coverage because it is administered via the web. However, web probing can only reach online population groups, there is probe nonresponse, and insufficient probe answers from a content perspective cannot be followed up.[11][12]