Questionnaire analysis terminology
July 30, 2010 12:06 AM Subscribe
Questionnaire and data analysis terminology (translating from Japanese)
I'm translating the results of a questionnaire from Japanese to English and need to confirm that I am using the correct data analysis terminology.
For example, the survey looks like this:
1) At your school you have an official statement in relation to ~.
(a) Current situation (実態)
Yes/No (ある/ない)
(b) Needs improving (改善の必要性)
Yes/No (ある/ない)
2) At your school you do ~.
(a) Current situation (実態)
Yes/No (ある/ない)
(b) Needs improving (改善の必要性)
Yes/No (ある/ない)
3) Etc.
4) Etc.
In the Japanese when they describe their data collection method they use the same word (項目) to describe both the first level items (i.e. the one marked by numbers above), and the second level items (i.e. the ones marked by letters). It reads (roughly):
In regards to these four items we have respondents choose either "yes" or "no" in the two items of "Current Situation" and "Needs Improving".
What I'd like to know is whether "item" is an accepted word for describing all these things in English, whether there are other terms used, and whether I should be differentiating between the first level items and the second level items with different terminology.
It would be helpful if someone could direct me to a glossary of common data analysis and questionnaire terminology (I keep coming across statistics terms - not helpful). Bonus points for a questionnaire methodology description in both English and Japanese.
Thanks!
I'm translating the results of a questionnaire from Japanese to English and need to confirm that I am using the correct data analysis terminology.
For example, the survey looks like this:
1) At your school you have an official statement in relation to ~.
(a) Current situation (実態)
Yes/No (ある/ない)
(b) Needs improving (改善の必要性)
Yes/No (ある/ない)
2) At your school you do ~.
(a) Current situation (実態)
Yes/No (ある/ない)
(b) Needs improving (改善の必要性)
Yes/No (ある/ない)
3) Etc.
4) Etc.
In the Japanese when they describe their data collection method they use the same word (項目) to describe both the first level items (i.e. the one marked by numbers above), and the second level items (i.e. the ones marked by letters). It reads (roughly):
In regards to these four items we have respondents choose either "yes" or "no" in the two items of "Current Situation" and "Needs Improving".
What I'd like to know is whether "item" is an accepted word for describing all these things in English, whether there are other terms used, and whether I should be differentiating between the first level items and the second level items with different terminology.
It would be helpful if someone could direct me to a glossary of common data analysis and questionnaire terminology (I keep coming across statistics terms - not helpful). Bonus points for a questionnaire methodology description in both English and Japanese.
Thanks!
Or, "We asked respondents to answer 'Yes' or 'No' to two questions in each category."
posted by zachawry at 12:57 AM on July 30, 2010
posted by zachawry at 12:57 AM on July 30, 2010
Best answer: "In regards to these four questions we have respondents choose either 'Yes' or 'No' in the contexts of 'Current situation' and 'Needs improving'."
Yeah, looking up 項目 yields a slew of (item, entry, context, case, choice) and the like by its use in compounds.
posted by zengargoyle at 1:28 AM on July 30, 2010
Yeah, looking up 項目 yields a slew of (item, entry, context, case, choice) and the like by its use in compounds.
posted by zengargoyle at 1:28 AM on July 30, 2010
Response by poster: Ah, ok. So these aren't necessarily questionnaire methodology-type terms. That's a relief! Now I can liberally translate to my heart's content. Thanks!
posted by thesailor at 4:05 AM on July 30, 2010
posted by thesailor at 4:05 AM on July 30, 2010
I have to admit I'm not sure of the meaning of having both "current situation" and "needs improvement" be yes-no questions ("current situation" is particularly weird to say "yes/no"), and would probably expand those to sound less awkward.
I don't know how much leeway you have, but I'd try to do something like:
1) Official statement in relation to ~.
(a) At your school you have an official statement in relation to ~
Yes/No
(b) This statement needs improvement
Yes/No
posted by that girl at 7:24 AM on July 30, 2010
I don't know how much leeway you have, but I'd try to do something like:
1) Official statement in relation to ~.
(a) At your school you have an official statement in relation to ~
Yes/No
(b) This statement needs improvement
Yes/No
posted by that girl at 7:24 AM on July 30, 2010
Response by poster: that girl: I agree that part is awkward and I'll be thinking of a way to change it. Japanese is really annoying the way they have so many words for "current situation" and use them at seemingly unnecssary and confusing times.
posted by thesailor at 7:42 AM on July 30, 2010
posted by thesailor at 7:42 AM on July 30, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Don't get hung up on 項目; it can mean most anything.
Just think about what you would say in English. Something like "We asked respondents answer 'Yes' or 'No' to each category."
This is one of those times when there may be one word in Japanese that covers more areas of meaning than a single word in English, so you just have to think of individual English words as appropriate, like Questions and Answers in this case.
posted by zachawry at 12:51 AM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]