Show Card

Within the context of survey research, a show card or show sheet is a visual aid used predominantly during in-person surveys. It is a card, a piece of paper, or an electronic screen containing answer categories to a question, from which the respondent chooses the answer to the survey question. The respondent may either look at the answer categories listed on the show card when providing the answer or mark the answer directly on the show card. The answers listed on the show card can be in the form of words, numbers, scales, pictures, or other graphical representations.

Telephone interviews may also employ show cards, although mailing the show cards or setting up Internet sites with the digital equivalents of show cards can be logistically and financially impractical.

Show cards are used by survey organizations internationally. In the United States, the use of show cards is somewhat wide-scale, including the federal government and private sector organizations. However, because they usually require in-person administration, show cards are not as well known or as well researched as other survey tools. The primary purpose for using show cards is to reduce survey measurement error. Show cards reduce error by (a) encouraging respondents to provide more accurate answers by increasing the perceived confidentiality of the answers, and (b) making it easier for respondents to provide a more accurate answer, for example, through presenting the entire answer category set in one visual field.

Making it Easier for Respondents to Provide More Accurate Answers

Some questions may be difficult to answer because of the complexity of the response choices. Questions that contain lengthy or complex answer choices may use show cards so that the respondent can visualize and review the full field of possible answer categories before choosing the most accurate answer.

Figure 1 Income show card

There is no standard for answer complexity level that benefits from the use of a show card. Some research organizations employ show cards for questions with as few as four or five answer categories.