From the LaunchPad

Welcome to The Launchpad, SoundRocket’s blog, where we share our insights and musings on the science of doing science (well), #soundscience.

Evaluating Nonresponse Bias in a Longitudinal Study of Healthy Adults Receiving Genome Sequencing

Evaluating Nonresponse Bias in a Longitudinal Study of Healthy Adults Receiving Genome Sequencing

by | Dec 12, 2017

We know your survey is exciting and will divulge important findings; you know your survey is exciting and will divulge important findings. But darn those who don’t know this and so don’t participate. Or worse – those who do know this, but choose not to participate for some other reason. Their nonresponse can create uncertainty in how accurate our survey results actually are.  If only we could survey robots or well-trained dogs who followed our instructions instead of people!

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SoSciKu: Our method

SoSciKu: Our method

by | Nov 28, 2017

I was recently inspired by a website called The Sciku Project, which touts the “latest scientific discoveries in haiku form”.  I have always been fascinated by Haiku – the logical (but also illogical) structure imposed on language in the form of poetry.  The structure – 17 syllables in three groups of 5 – 7 – 5 syllables each.

Figured I would give it a try…

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Research Wonder: A Case for Respondent Pre-Survey Rituals?

Research Wonder: A Case for Respondent Pre-Survey Rituals?

by | Jan 11, 2017

A couple months ago, I listened to a podcast episode called “Sports Superstitions” on a wonderful podcast called Fearless Conversations with Abby Wambach (which, by the way, is a wonderful podcast on a variety of social issues from the perspective of a professional athlete). It brought back memories of long ago (high school) days when I used to pole vault. For a long time I blamed my youth for the rituals that I would perform before and during competition.  How I removed the pole from its cardboard tube, the number of times I rocked back and forth before I started down the runway (three), and even the side of the pit that I used to jump off after I completed a vault (always the left)… 

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Web-Based Survey Testing: Seven Tips for More Effective Questionnaires

Web-Based Survey Testing: Seven Tips for More Effective Questionnaires

by | Sep 12, 2016

Testing a web-based survey is one of the most detested activities to many in the survey research business.  It requires patience, persistence, and tremendous focus. Finding someone who enjoys testing and is good at it is a valuable asset to any survey research team. 

A wonderful resource for many details about testing questionnaires (including a chapter on web-based surveys) is Methods for Testing and Evaluating Survey Questionnaires.

Here are seven tips to better web-based survey testing practices for your next study…

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