Adverbs of Quantitication in Public Health Surveys
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2019
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Swarthmore College. Dept. of Linguistics
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en
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Abstract
This thesis examines the function of adverbs of quantification through a comparison of questions
found in two public health surveys, the data collected from each survey, and the subsequent
allocations of healthcare resources and focus on specific areas in the medical field. After
examining the types of questions present in the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) survey
and the US Household Food Security Scale Module (HFSSM), I conclude that each of the
surveys utilizes adverbs of quantification differently in their questions. The ACE survey's main
objective is to establish the psychological impacts of childhood trauma, so while the possible
answers may be linguistically vague, the survey collects important data to inform mental health
professionals about how to treat patients. The HFSSM establishes more specific possible answers
to create a scale of food security that can be nationally applied and assist the US government in
allocating resources to fight food insecurity. I argue that survey authors would benefit from
focused, basic linguistics training or a linguistic advisor to help write questions that avoid
presuppositions and implicit restrictions, and help researchers collect the most helpful data
possible.