Rotating Survey Instruments#

Structure#

POPROX sends weekly surveys to users. When users first enroll, they are sent two on-boarding surveys about how they read and think about news. Once those survey are completed, users begin receiving surveys about their POPROX experience. There are four different surveys, which rotate synchronously across all users, and a fifth week in which a survey from rotating set of demographic surveys appears. These demographic surveys capture additional personal information not part of the on-boarding questions. See Annual surveys. Generally, we expect that experimental treatments will be at least five weeks in duration so that there are responses for all surveys by the users in each treatment.

Note that it is a required for the POPROX platform IRB that in general no free text input is allowed. All questions are choices from a fixed set of options.

Instrument R1: Newsletter-specific#

Overall prompt: Below you see a copy of yesterday’s POPROX newsletter (note: this is essentially an image; the headlines are not clickable). Please read the headlines, and then answer the questions listed beneath the newsletter, considering all of the articles (based on your memory or expectation, regardless of whether you read them).

Questions:

  • To what extent did the newsletter include articles that left you with a good feeling?

  • To what extent did the newsletter include articles that show how different kinds of people look at or are impacted by things?

  • To what extent did the newsletter include articles on topics that are of special concern to you?

  • Did the newsletter include articles that are practically useful in your life?

  • To what extent did the newsletter include articles about things to bring up in conversations or share with others?

  • To what extent did the newsletter include articles that surprised you?

All questions are answered on the following scale:

  • -1: Fewer than I’d like

  • 0: About the right number

  • 1: More than I’d like

  • 98: Unable to judge

  • 99: No response

Instrument R2: SSA#

[Don’t remember what SSA stands for]

Overall prompt: Considering the news articles you received in your newsletters over the past week, please indicate how much you agree with the following

Questions:

  • The newsletters contained a lot of variety.

  • The news articles fit my preference.

  • I understand why POPROX News selected the news articles it presented to me.

  • I feel like I have control over what articles POPROX News selects.

  • I find POPROX News easy to use.

  • The task of choosing which articles to read from the newsletters was overwhelming.

  • POPROX News catered to many of my interests.

Question scale:

  • -2: Strongly disagree

  • -1: Somewhat disagree

  • 0: Neither agree nor disagree

  • 1: Somewhat agree

  • 2: Strongly agree

  • 99: No response

Instrument R3: Experience#

Overall prompt: Considering the news articles you received in your newsletters over the past week, please indicate how much you agree with the following

Questions:

  • I am satisfied with the POPROX newsletters.

  • I am satisfied with the news articles I clicked on and read.

  • POPROX News helped me understand what kind of news I like.

  • POPROX News made me aware of news interests I didn’t know I had.

  • POPROX News helped me get a new perspective.

  • I believe that POPROX News puts together newsletters that are in my best interest.

  • I believe that POPROX News has a hidden agenda that shapes what articles are put into my newsletters.

  • POPROX News is competent and effective in providing a daily newsletter for me.

Question scale:

  • -2: Strongly disagree

  • -1: Somewhat disagree

  • 0: Neither agree nor disagree

  • 1: Somewhat agree

  • 2: Strongly agree

  • 99: No response

Instrument R4: Uses and gratifications#

Overall prompt: Considering the news articles you received in your newsletters over the past week, please indicate how much you agree with the following

  • POPROX News leaves me with a good feeling.

  • POPROX News shows me how different kinds of people look at or are impacted by things.

  • POPROX News helps me keep up with topics that are of special concern to me.

  • POPROX News guides me to articles that are practically useful in my life.

  • POPROX News gives me things to bring up in conversations or share with others.

  • POPROX News has something that surprises me.

Question scale:

  • -2: Strongly disagree

  • -1: Somewhat disagree

  • 0: Neither agree nor disagree

  • 1: Somewhat agree

  • 2: Strongly agree

  • 99: No response

On this page