How can researchers accurately and safely measure sensitive topics on
surveys? We evaluate several common methods using a
randomized-controlled trial on a survey about insurgency in the
Philippines. We find that a popular method for measuring sensitive
information, the "forced choice experiment," confused respondents
leading to inaccurate responses. A much simpler method of
self-enumeration outperformed standard methods in terms of response
rates without introducing similar confusion.
Bio:Matthew Nanes is an assistant professor of political science at Saint
Louis University, where he studies policing and domestic security in the
Middle East and Southeast Asia. His new book with Cambridge University
Press, Policing for Peace, uses evidence from Iraq and Israel to show
that integrating marginalized groups into the police can be a force for
peace. He holds a PhD from the University of California San Diego, and
has worked with various NGOs and international organizations on best
practices for survey research methods.
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