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University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Survey Research And Methodology Program

Learning to make numbers count

Janet Harkness

Faculty Information

Janet A. Harkness, Ph.D.

Director & Chair, Survey Research and Methodology Program; Director, UNL Gallup Research Center; Donald and Shirley Clifton Chair in Survey Science; Professor, Department of English

201 North 13th Street
Lincoln, NE 68588-0241
Phone: (402) 472-7768
Fax: (402) 472-7764


Educational Background

  • Ph.D. 1985; Freiburg University, Germany
  • M.A. 1969 (Honours); Edinburgh University, Scotland

Honors and Honorary Positions (selected)

  • European Union Descartes Prize Laureate, 2005
  • NSF Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Advisory Board Member, 2008-present
  • Deutsches Jugendinstitut Advisory Board Member, 2009-present
  • Deutsches Jugendinstitut Taskforce Advisory Board Member, 2007-2008
  • Visiting Professor, Babylon Centre, Tilburg University, Netherlands, 2005
  • European Societies, Editorial Board Member, 2004-present

Current Research Fields

  • Comparative survey methodology
  • Multilingual questionnaire design
  • Answer scales
  • Cross-cultural communication
  • Conversation analysis and discourse analysis

Manuscripts in Progress

  • Harkness, J., Mohler, P., Pennell, B.E., Johnson, T., Lyberg, L., Edwards, B., Smith, T.W., Braun, M. (Eds.)(in progress) Multinational, Multicultural and Multiregional Survey Methods. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
  • Harkness, J., Edwards, B., with Hansen, S.E., and Miller, D. (in progress) Questionnaire and question design across populations, languages, and applications. In Harkness, J., Mohler, P., Pennell, B.E., Johnson, T., Lyberg, L., Edwards, B., Smith, T.W., Braun, M. (editors) Multinational, Multicultural and Multiregional Survey Methods. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
  • Harkness, J. (in progress) Language and translation in design and implementation in multilingual surveys. In Harkness, J., Mohler, P., Pennell, B.E., Johnson, T., Lyberg, L., Edwards, B., Smith, T.W., Braun, M. (editors) Multinational, Multicultural and Multiregional Survey Methods. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
  • Pennell, B.E., Harkness, J., with Levenstein, R. and Quaglia, M. (in progress) Challenges in cross-national data collections. In Harkness, J., Mohler, P., Pennell, B.E., Johnson, T., Lyberg, L., Edwards, B., Smith, T.W., Braun, M. (editors) Multinational, Multicultural and Multiregional Survey Methods. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
  • Yang, Y., Harkness, J., Ching, T.Y., Villar, A. (in progress) Response styles and comparative research. In Harkness, J., Mohler, P., Pennell, B.E., Johnson, T., Lyberg, L., Edwards, B., Smith, T.W., Braun, M. (editors) Multinational, Multicultural and Multiregional Survey Methods. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Selected Publications

  • Harkness, J., Pennell, B.E., Villar, A., Gebler, N., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Bilgen, I. (2008) Translation Procedures and Translation Assessment in the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. In Kessler, R. and Ustun, T.B. (Eds.) The World Health Organization Mental Health Survey. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Harkness, J. (2008) Survey Translation. In Lavrakas, P.J. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Harkness, J. (2008) Comparative Survey Research: Goals and Challenges. Foundation chapter in Dillman, D., Hox, J. and de Leeuw, E. (Eds.) International Handbook of Survey Methodology. Hyattsville, VA: Erlbaum.
  • Harkness, J. (2007) Improving the comparability of translations. In Jowell, R., Roberts, C., Fitzgerald, R., Eva, G. (Eds.) Measuring Attitudes Cross-Nationally: Lessons from the European Social Survey. London: Sage.
  • Harkness, J. (2007) In Pursuit of Quality. In Hantrais, L, and Mangen, S. (Eds.) Cross-National Research Methodology and Practice (pp. 35-50). London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. (originally appeared 1999 in International Journal of Social Research Methodology 2, Nr. 2)
  • Harkness, J., Schoebi, N., Joye, D. Mohler, P., Faass, T. and Behr, D. (2007) Oral Translation in Telephone Surveys. In Lepkowski, J.M., Tucker, C., Brick, J.M., de Leeuw, E., Japec, L., Lavrakas, P.J., Link, M.W. and Sangster, R.L. (Eds.) Advances in Telephone Survey Methodology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
  • Harkness, J. (2004) Overview of Problems in Establishing Conceptually Equivalent Health Definitions across Multiple Cultural Groups. In Cohen, S.B. and Lepkowski, J.M. (Eds.) Eighth Conference on Health Survey Research Methods. Hyattsville: US Department of Health and Human Services. 85-90.
  • Harkness, J., Pennell, B.-E. and Schoua-Glusberg, A. (2004) Questionnaire Translation and Assessment. In Presser, S., Rothgeb, J. Couper, M., Lessler, J., Martin, J. and Singer, E. (Eds). Methods for Testing and Evaluating Survey Questionnaires. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. 453-473.
  • Harkness, J., Van de Vijver, F.J.R. and Mohler, P.Ph. (Eds.) (2003) Cross-Cultural Survey Methods. Wiley Series in Survey Methodology. New Jeresey: John Wiley and Sons.

Research Initiative Activities

  • Founder and Chair of Organizing Committee or International Workshop on Comparative Survey Design and Implementation (CSDI), 2002-present.
  • International Conference on Survey Methods in Multicultural, Multinational and Multiregional Contexts (3MC) 25-29, June 2008, Berlin.
    • Chair of Organizing Committee and fund-raising committee, 2006-present.
    • Chief editor of the accompanying edited Wiley volume to appear 2009/2010.
  • International Social Survey Programme (ISSP)
    • Head of ISSP Methodology Committee, 1997-2008.
    • Member of ISSP Standing Committee, 1997-2008.
    • Head of ISSP Translation Methods Group, 1995-2008.
    • Co-head of ISSP Demographics Methods Group, 1007-2006.
    • Co-head of ISSP Modes Methods Group I, 1996-1998.
    • Member of ISSP Modes Methods Group II, 2008.
    • Head of ISSP Question Design Group, 2004-2008.

    Scientific Event Organization (selected)

    • 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 Coordinator of the International Workshop on Comparative Survey Design and Implementation; Ann Arbor, USA; Chicago, USA; Teh Hague, Netherlands; Madrid, Spain; Paris, France; Brussels, Belgium.
    • 2008 Chair of organization committee of the International Conference on Survey Methods in Multiculutral, Multinational and Multiregional Contexts (3MC), 25-29 June 2008, Berlin.
    • 2008 Co-ordinating organizer of six workshop sessions to be held at the International Conference on Survey Methods in Multiculutral, Multinational and Multiregional Contexts (3MC). Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humaniteis. Berlin, Germany. 25-29 June 2008.
    • 2007 Organiser: Seventh ZUMA Symposium on Cross-cultural survey methods: Adaptation of questionnaires and diagnostic instruments in multilingual and multinational contexts, Mannheim, December.
    • 2007 Seminar organizer and instructor: European Social Survey Infrastructure Training Seminar. Instrument Design and Translation for Comparative Contexts. University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, 6-7 August.
    • 2006 Organiser: Fifth ZUMA Symposium on Cross-cultural survey methods: Data collection in different countries, Mannheim, December.

    Cross-National Research Projects (selected)

    • European Social Survey-European Union Project 2000-2002, 2002-2004, 2004-2006, 2006-2008.
    • Harkness, J. (2002/2007) ESS Translation Strategies and Procedures. http://europeansocialsurvey.org/
    • Harkness, J., Dinkelmann, K., Pennell, B-E, Mohler, Ph.Ph. (2007) Improving the Questionnaire Translation Tool. European Social Survey Infrastructure Improving Social Measurement in Europe: Final Report on Joint Research Activity 3. Required deliverable to the European Union for Publication by the Commission.
    • Study Programme for Quantitative Research (SPQR) - European Union Project 1995-1997.
    • Harkness, J., Mohler, P.Ph., Thomas, R. (1997) Study Programme for Quantitative Research (SPQR). Final Report to the European Commission for the European Consortium for Comparative Social Surveys (COMPASS). Mannheim: ZUMA.
    • Harkness, J., Mohler, P.Ph. (1997) Towards a Manual of European Background Variables. Appendix II, Part I. In Harkness, J., Mohler, P.Ph., Thomas, R. (1997) Study Programme for Quantiative Reserach (SPQR). Final Report to the European Commission for the European Consortium for Compartive Social Surveys (COMPASS). Mannheim: ZUMA.
    • McCabe, B., Harkness, J. (1997) A comparison of Background Variables in the EUROBAROMETER, the ISSP, the ECHP and the background variables recommended by ESOMAR. Appendix II, Part II. In Harkness, J., Mohler, P. Ph., Thomas, R. (1997) Study Programme for Quantitative Research (SPQR). Final Report to the European Commission for the European Consortium for Comparative Social Surveys (COMPASS). Mannheim: ZUMA.
    • Research into the Methodology of Intercultural Surveys (MINTS)-German-American Transcoop Project 1995-1997.
    • Harkness, J., Mohler, P.Ph. (1997) Modifying Expressions in the Context of Agreement-Disagreement: Some Findings from the MINTS Project. In Harkness, J., Mohler, P.Ph., Smith, T.W., Davis, J.A. (1997) Final Report on the Project "Research into the Methodology of Intercultural Surveys" (MINTS). Mannheim: Zuma.
    • Harkness, J., Mohler, P.Ph., Smith, T.W., Davis, J.A. (1997) Final Report on the Project "Research into the Methodology of Intercultural Surveys" (MINTS). Transcoop Research Projects for ZUMA, Mannheim and NORC, Chicago. Mannheim: ZUMA.
    • Research in Environmental Attitudes and Perceptions (REAP)-European Union Project.
    • Mohler, P.Ph., Witherspoon, S., Harkness, J. (1995) Final Report to the European Commission on REsearch into Environmental Attitudes and Perceptions (REAP).

    Invited Conference Presentations/ Lectures (2009/2008)

    • Harkness, J. and Mohler, P.Ph. Workshop on Cross-Cultural Survey Research Methods at the Odum Institute. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Chape Hill, NC. March 2009.
    • Harkness, J. and Mohler, P.Ph. Invited talk on cross-national research at Research Triangle International. Research Triangle Park, NC. March 2009.
    • Harkness, J. Assessing "versions" in multilingual surveys. ESSI Quality Enhancement Meeting. Mannheim, Germany. October 2008.
    • Harkness, J. and Behr, D. How instrument quality affects translation: Insights from a film of a team translation review. International Sociological Association Research Committee 33. Naples, Italy. September 2008.
    • Harkness, J. Short course on Question Design for Comparative Surveys. Given at the International Conference on Survey Methods in Multinational, Multiregional and Multicultural Contexts (3MC). Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Berlin, Germany. June 2008.
    • Harkness, J. Models for question design. Presentation at the seminar on Modélisation et les Méthodes Statistiques en Sciences Sociales at the Centre Maurice Halbwachs. Paris, France. May 2008.
    • Harkness, J. Cross-cultural surveys and translation. Economic and Social Research Council Question Bank Conference on Survey Measurement: Assessing the Reliability and Validity of Questionnaire Items. Royal Statistical Society. London. April 2008.
    • Harkness, J. What makes translated survey questions comparable with source questions? CEVIPOF (National Centre for Political Research). Paris, France. March 2008)