'Unstandard' ways of answering standard questions: protocol analysis in alcohol survey research

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the history and development of protocol analysis as a useful approach for survey research in the alcohol field, and to describe the results of a pilot study which used protocol analysis to assess the recall strategies used for four standard alcohol questions commonly used in surveys. Twenty-nine subjects were interviewed and asked to think aloud their responses to four alcohol items: frequency of drinking, average quantity, frequency of drinking over 5 drinks, and frequency of drunkenness. Results indicate that respondents most often used anchoring and adjustment and context strategies to arrive at their answers. Suggestions for facilitating the use of specific strategies during an interview are given.