A Student Planning a Survey on Altruism Seeks Your Advice

question 10

Essay

A student planning a survey on altruism seeks your advice. She is interested in documenting the level of altruism at her college, plans to do a Web survey, and is trying to figure out what questions to ask.
(a) Below are three of the many questionnaire items she is considering as possible measures of altruism. Focusing on the wording or language of the questions, carefully explain what is wrong with each item.
(1) Do you care about the homeless people in this country? [yes] [no]
(2) Do you regularly offer assistance to strangers? [yes] [no]
(3) Do you and your family contribute to United Way? [yes] [no]
(b) How would you revise each item to make it acceptable?
(c) Aside from your feedback on these items, what advice would you give her regarding types of question and question order?
(d) What recommendations would you make regarding the administration of the survey?

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Definitions:

Rights Offering

An offering where existing shareholders have the right, but not the obligation, to purchase new shares at a discount to the public offering price, within a specific time frame.

Stock Price

The current price at which a share of stock can be bought or sold on the stock market.

Bought Deal

One underwriter buys securities from an issuing firm and sells them directly to a small number of investors.

Best Efforts Underwriting

a commitment by underwriters to make their best effort to sell as many shares as possible of an offering.