Table 3.

Decision Points for Constructing a Clinical Vignette

Consideration	Options	Advantages	Disadvantages
Question type	Open-ended	Avoids social desirability bias or bias from cueing	Time intensive and expensive to score7
	Closed-ended	Easier and less expensive to score	Biased responses possible4,7,9
Question format	Dichotomous	Easy to administer and interpret	Biased responses possible19
	Multiple choice	Easy to administer and interpret	Biased responses possible
	Likert scale	Familiar scale	Respondents may not interpret the scale in the same way20
	Fill in the blank with numeric response	Avoids bias from providing response options19	More likely than other question formats to have errors occur in data entry of survey responses19
Mode of administration	Hard copy	Easier than in-person interviews if respondents are geographically dispersed For vignettes on sensitive topics, less likely than interviews to elicit biased responses Likely least expensive of all modes of administration	Greater respondent burden than interview or computer administration if vignette is open-ended
	Telephone/in-person interview	Telephone interviews are easier than in-person interviews if respondents are geographically dispersed May be designed to allow adaptation of vignettes to physicians’ responses	In-person interviews are challenging and costly if respondents are geographically dispersed Possibility of biased responses, particularly for vignettes related to sensitive topics Likely most expensive of all modes of administration
	Computer or tablet	Easier than in-person interviews if respondents are geographically dispersed May be designed to allow adaptation of vignettes to physicians’ responses For vignettes on sensitive topics, less likely than interviews to elicit biased responses	Not all respondents may be comfortable using computers Likely highly expensive