Tell the Difference Between These Three Pictures 1876

I expect JMF had something else in mind (and I think I did too). But given this as an example, you make an excellent point.

Psychologically, that would be really bad if you're hoping to get their cooperation. Your best bet is usually to (1) ask them their name while (2) tell them they can give as much or as little (or even none) of it as they care to. The first shows that they're important (even if they're really not) and the second shows that you respect their privacy (even if you don't).

If they DO give their name, it aids cooperation if you use it from time to time while asking the remainder of the questions.

Back in the punched card days (when some places, including where I was) had cards, but no tape or disk, I worked on something like what you've described (the marketing questionaire). They had formatted the form to make it as easy and error free as possible for the hired-for-the-day people asking the questions. Problem was, the format stunk for what they wanted to do with them. Someone did a study on it and determined that it was cheaper (time, page flipping as you mention) and less error prone to have the keypunchers do it the way it was on the form, then use a program (plug-board on an IBM tabulating machine) to convert them to optimal processing format.

- Bill