Negative questions or items are those items in a scale that differ in direction from most other items in that scale. Negative-wording questions, or negatively keying an item, is typically accomplished by negating an item thought to measure a construct of interest.

For example, “Employees are receptive to change.” A negatively worded question is considered an item where disagreement would be a good answer. For example, “It is difficult to get things changed in the agency.” The JPSM survey used both positively and negatively worded questions in a ratio of about 3:1 respectively.

Positively keyed items are items for which agree- ment indicates a higher level of the trait, and negatively keyed items are items for which agreement indicates a lower level of the trait (Furr, 2011).

The validity of data produced by questionnaires can be undermined by the use of closed questions which limit respondents’ answers. Closed questions are those with a limited number of possible responses, often “yes” or “no”. Closed questions help to make data easier to analyse and more reliable.

As pointed out earlier, the purpose of using a mix of positively and negatively worded items in surveys is to help decrease potential response set bias such as acquiescence bias. However, research suggests that there are other strategies you can use to reduce respondents’ careless responses.

Two negatives make a positive, in the sense that they cancel each other out. To correct a double negative, rephrase the question using the positive or neutral version of the phrase.

The aim of reverse scoring is to re-code the responses so that a high score is transformed into the corresponding low score on the scale. For example, in a 5-point scale, a 4 is transformed into a 2, and vice-versa.

10 Disadvantages of Questionnaires

• Dishonest answers.
• Unanswered questions.
• Differences in understanding and interpretation.
• Hard to convey feelings and emotions.
• Some questions are difficult to analyze.
• Respondents may have a hidden agenda.
• Lack of personalization.
• Unconscientious responses.

Reliability is an extent to which a questionnaire, test, observation or any measurement procedure produces the same results on repeated trials. In short, it is the stability or consistency of scores over time or across raters. Reliability of the questionnaire is usually carried out using a pilot test.

By including a mix of both positive and negative items, respondents are forced to consider the question and (hopefully) provide a more meaningful response which should reduce these biases.

The use of both positively and negatively worded items in questionnaires was introduced decades ago in order to prevent response bias. Response bias refers to answer patterns on questionnaires that do not reflect the respondents’ actual state or opinion [1], and that thus can pose a serious threat to the validity of self-report instruments [2].

No difference in reliability: The internal reliability of both questionnaires was high (Cronbach’s alpha of .92 for the original and .96 for the positive). Negatives Outweigh the Positives: There is little evidence that the purported advantages of including negative and positive items in usability questionnaires outweigh the disadvantages.

Only the second type of inattention, missing subtle differences with respect to content, can be challenged by reversing some items, provided that respondents are not inattentive to the reversal, in which case reversing will be counterproductive. The last response style that has to be considered when reversing items, is confusion.

The popular System Usability Scale(SUS) has items that alternate between positive and negative wording. In fact, of the most frequently used questionnaires to measure attitudes about usability all but one use a mix of positive and negative items. System Usability Scale (SUS): 10 Items (half positive & half negative)