Interview	Protocol–Survey	Pilot

Instructions

Thank the interviewee for agreeing to participate in the interview. Hand out a copy of the survey (with 

questions numbered to correspond to this protocol) and a highlighter. Read the following instructions to 

the participant:

Handing the survey to the interviewee, “This is the survey on feedback in teacher evaluation surveys that 

you recently completed. I would like you to review the questions and directions in this survey and provide 

feedback on their clarity. Our purpose is to see if the content of the survey is understood consistently 

among teachers. I will ask you to read through a section of the survey and then respond to a series of 

questions following each section. As you read through the section, please highlight any questions that 

you find difficult to answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not relevant or 

appropriate for teachers. Your responses will be used to help modify the survey to make it easier to 

understand and be more consistently understood.”

Introduction and Question 2, 3, 4

Please read the introduction and question 2, 3, and 4. 

1. Was the introduction clear? 

a. If not, what was unclear?

2. In question 2, what does the term “designated evaluator” mean to you?

3. In question 3 and 4, are the questions clear?

a. How did you interpret “written feedback”?

b. How did you interpret “feedback conversation”?

4. Do the options for question 2, 3, and 4 cover the major possible options?

Question 5

Please read the directions for question 5 and read and respond to questions 5a through 5g. Highlight 

any questions that you find difficult to answer, because they are unclear or contain language that is not 

relevant or appropriate for teachers.

1. Were the directions clear?

a. If not, what was unclear?

b. What does “feedback you received as part of the teacher evaluation system in your 

district” mean to you?

2. For the question(s) that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to 

answer.

a. How would you phrase the question in your own words? Following the response, the 

interviewer explains the intent of the question(s) as needed.
3. This section is trying to capture the extent to which the feedback was useful. Are there items 

that should be included or deleted to better describe the usefulness of the feedback?

Question 6

Please read and respond to questions 6a through 6d. Highlight any questions that you find difficult to 

answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not relevant or appropriate for teachers.

1. For the question(s) that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to 

answer.

a. How would you phrase the question in your own words? Following the response, the 

interviewer explains the intent of the question(s) as needed.

2. This section is trying to capture the extent to which the feedback was accurate. Are there items 

that should be included or deleted to better describe the accuracy of the feedback?

Question 7

Please read and respond to questions 7a through 7d. Highlight any questions that you find difficult to 

answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not relevant or appropriate for teachers.

1. For the questions that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to answer.

a. How would you phrase the question in your own words? Following the response, the 

interviewer explains the intent of the question(s) as needed.

2. This section is trying to capture the extent to which the person providing the feedback was 

credible. Are there items that should be included or deleted to better describe the credibility of 

the person providing the feedback?

Question 8

Please read and respond to questions 8a through 8d. Highlight any questions that you find difficult to 

answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not relevant or appropriate for teachers.

1. For the question(s) that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to 

answer.

a. How would you phrase the question in your own words? Following the response, the 

interviewer explains the intent of the question(s) as needed.

2. This section is trying to capture the extent to which you had access to learning opportunities 

related to your feedback. Are there items that should be included or deleted to better describe 

the learning opportunities you had access to that were related to your feedback?

Question 9

Please read and respond to questions 9a through 9d. Highlight any questions that you find difficult to 

answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not relevant or appropriate for teachers.
1. For the question(s) that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to 

answer.

a. How would you phrase the question in your own words? Following the response, the 

interviewer explains the intent of the question(s) as needed.

2. This section is trying to capture the extent to which you used or responded to the feedback. Are 

there items that should be included or deleted to better describe the how you used or 

responded to the feedback?

Question 10

Please read the instructions for question 10 and read and respond to questions 10a through 10g. These 

items are very similar to the items in questions 5 so you may identify similar challenges. Highlight any 

questions that you find difficult to answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not 

relevant or appropriate for teachers.

1. Were the directions clear?

a. If not, please explain what was unclear.

2. For the question(s) that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to 

answer. (If the same challenges are identified as in question 5, skip to next question.)

Question 11

Please read the instructions for question 11 and read and respond to questions 11a through 11d. These 

items are very similar to the items in questions 6 so you may identify similar challenges. Highlight any 

questions that you find difficult to answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not 

relevant or appropriate for teachers.

1. Were the directions clear?

a. If not, please explain what was unclear.

2. For the question(s) that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to 

answer. (If the same challenges are identified as in questions 6, skip to next question.)

Question 12

Please read the instructions for question 12 and read and respond to questions 12a through 12d. These 

items are very similar to the items in questions 7 so you may identify similar challenges. Highlight any 

questions that you find difficult to answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not 

relevant or appropriate for teachers.

1. Were the directions clear?

a. If not, please explain what was unclear.

2. For the question(s) that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to 

answer. (If the same challenges are identified as in questions 7, skip to next question.)
Question 13

Please read the instructions for question 13 and read and respond to questions 13a through 13d. These 

items are very similar to the items in questions 8 so you may identify similar challenges. Highlight any 

questions that you find difficult to answer because they are unclear or contain language that is not 

relevant or appropriate for teachers.

1. Were the directions clear?

a. If not, please explain what was unclear.

2. For the question(s) that you highlighted, please explain why the question was difficult to 

answer. (If the same challenges are identified as in questions 8, skip to next question.)

Questions 14 

Please read questions 14.

1. Is the question clear?

2. If not, please explain what was unclear .Do the options for questions 14 cover the major 

possible options?

Questions 15, 16, 17

Please read questions 15, 16, and 17.

1. Are the questions clear?

a. If not, please explain what was unclear.

2. Do the options for the questions cover the major possible options?

General

1. Do you have any other comments or suggestions about the clarity of the survey?

Thank you for taking time to participate in this interview.