Investigation Subjectivity within Collection Condition Surveys

Abstract

Overview This contribution addresses the possible problems and biases associated with carrying out a ‘tick box’ condition survey. The areas examined stem from the motivations and objectives of a survey, through to the design, data collection and analysis, and it is demonstrated that subjectivity is certainly present within the structure of the survey methodology at numerous stages. Subjectivity of condition surveying was experimentally determined using a number of different people who were asked to assess the condition of the same objects, and they were chosen to represent a range of levels of experience in conservation. When the responses were analysed a very significant degree of subjectivity was found. Surveyors tended to look for different things: superficial damage for those without conservation experience, more underlying features for those with. Since the surveyors were chosen to represent a spectrum of conservation experience it was possible to recognise the effect of training in increasing reliability. Assessing the potential problems of surveys, the authors conclude that objectivity and validity of a survey cannot be assumed when using current methods. Suggested are possible ways of increasing the reliability and validity of the data which is collected.

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