Background Most aging research comes from the developed world. Aging research in India is focused on disease states and risk factors. Evidence on elderly health, physical performance and disability to understand the psycho-social or socio-behavioral risk is limited in India. Self-rated health (SRH) is used often in survey settings to quickly assess health status and is known to predict morbidity and mortality. The first wave of the Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) survey provides an opportunity to explore the complex construct of SRH in the context of the aging process in its various key life domains of health, disability, cognition, activities of daily life, work, family, security and well-being in low and middle income settings. Objectives This research aims to (a) understand pathways through which the social environment, functional disability, health behaviour and chronic disease experience influence SRH, (b) examine the role of SRH in predicting mortality, (c) validate SRH to improve its interpersonal comparability, and (d) assess how well estimates of SRH derived directly from a ‘small area’ survey compare with ‘small area’ estimates derived indirectly from a ‘large area’ survey. Methods The Vadu Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) monitor health and demographic trends in a rural population of more than 100 000 in 22 villages in India since 2002. The full and short version of the SAGE survey was implemented in Vadu in 2007-09 among 321 and 5432 individuals aged 50 years and above, respectively. A structural equation model tested pathways through which social and biological factors influenced SRH. A Cox proportional hazard model examined the role of SRH as a predictor for mortality. Anchoring vignettes were used to evaluate SRH for reporting heterogeneity. The Hierarchical Ordered Probit model adjusted SRH for reporting heterogeneity. The SRH prevalence estimates for Vadu derived indirectly (indirect synthetic estimate, empirical Bayes estimate, Hierarchical Bayes estimate) from the national SAGE survey were compared with estimates derived directly from the Vadu SAGE survey, using different design and model-based techniques. Results Older individuals reported poor SRH compared to those younger. Women rated their quality of life and SRH poorer than men. The effect of age on SRH was mediated through functional disability. Higher socioeconomic status and higher quality of life was in turn associated with better SRH but this relationship lacked statistical significance. Smoking or consumption of tobacco was associated with at least one chronic illness which in turn was associated with poor SRH and quality of life. However the association between chronic illness and SRH and quality of life was not statistically significant. Mortality risk was higher among individuals who reported bad/very bad SRH, disability and lack of spousal support independent of age and sex. There was strong evidence of reporting heterogeneity in SRH that was influenced by age, sex, education and socioeconomic status. The prevalence of ‘good / very good’ SRH was estimated to be 50%. This direct survey estimate compared well with the prevalence estimate of about 45% derived indirectly from model-based small area estimation methods. The indirect synthetic estimate for Vadu (23.2%) was a poor approximation to the direct survey or modelbased estimate. Conclusion This research establishes the value and utility of SRH as a simple measure of health and predictor of mortality in an aging context. It provides evidence to formulate programs and policies towards an enabling social environment and an ability to function in key life domains of health and well-being. It highlights the need to identify and adjust self-rated responses for interpersonal incomparability prior to making comparisons across individuals or groups of individuals. It highlights the potential of using information from large national surveys by district level managers for planning and evaluation of policies and programs at the district or sub-district level. Finally, this research provides the basis for integrating SRH and related questions into routine HDSS.

The diploma thesis deals with evaluation of subjective well-being of elementary school teachers with use of anchoring vignettes. General goal of the thesis is to research actual subjective well-being of teachers and find out what factors are affecting it. Theoretical part characterizes subjective well-being and its components, its interconnection with life satisfaction, quality of life and happiness. Theoretical part also consists of explanation of the anchoring vignettes method including description of its application in particular researches. Empirical part of the thesis uses an existing survey method called Diener's satisfaction with life scale supplemented by anchoring vignettes. The research refers to high level of subjective well-being among teachers. Some variables (eg. family status, work in city or village) which make differences between levels of satisfaction were found. Application of anchoring vignettes method confirmed results of self-assessing questions in most cases. Keywords: subjective well-being, life satisfaction, quality of life, anchoring vignette, teacher survey

SUMMARY: This thesis presents the possibilities and benefits of the use of anchoring vignettes method in educational science, in connection with information and communication technologies (ICT). It is the first ever use of the anchoring vignettes method in this field. In its theoretical part, the thesis introduces the works of other authors in which research was done with the use of self- assessment questions. It also shows the research using the anchoring vignettes method, and research in which this methodology was used in educational science. The practical part presents the results of the author's own survey, which shows the diversity of self-assessment of ICT knowledge and skills of Year 1 and 2 students at secondary schools. The thesis proves distinctive subjectivity in students' self-assessment, different usage of the scale by respondents and the purposefullness of using the anchoring vignettes method in this field. First and foremost, it shows an entirely different self-assessment of students of different study programmes, genders etc. before and after the correction using the anchoring vignettes method.

The aim of this thesis was to ascertain the self-assessment of university students with various specializations, in their knowledge of information and communication technology (ICT). The theoretical part concerns with self-assessment as concept and methods pertaining to its verification. It also contains a detailed description of the anchoring vignettes method with its application in specific areas. Also discussed is the Overclaiming Technique. An evaluation has been conducted in the empirical part, which elaborates on self-assessment of ICT terms of various groups of students. Anchoring vignettes method is used in order to amend said self-assessment. Aforementioned part of the thesis also contains the use of overclaiming technique in practise, which is demonstrated on a specifically devised questionnaire. In this questionnaire, the students were asked to evaluate their level of understanding both existing and non-existing terms from the ICT area. The results have shown that there are significant differences between the questioned groups of students. The numbers indicate that students of ICT have a greater tendency to exaggerate the level of their knowledge in the area of information and communication technologies. Much more so than students who specialize in different subject.

This study looks at the application of the anchoring vignettes method in evaluating university students' level of English language. The theoretical part of the study describes the possibilities of language level measurement, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and outlines the anchoring vignette method. Works of other authors using this method in different fields (including pedagogy) are also mentioned. One chapter is dedicated to self- assessment and its synonyms - how they are used in practice and research. The practical part presents the results of the author's original survey. Questionnaires were administered on pedagogical and business students in the comparison of self-assessment and objective knowledge survey. This work has illustrated the diversity of usage of the self-assessment scales, undervaluation of the students and the difference between the self-evaluation before and after the correction by the anchoring vignettes. In addition, the findings of this study show that the order of the self-assessment scale and the anchoring vignettes in the questionnaire matters and that placing the vignettes after the self-assessment is preferable.

This thesis is focused on research of school undiscipline (misbehaviour) by using the anchoring vignettes method. The results obtained of qualitative research (focus groups and in-depth interviews) were used for the compilation of the vignettes and questionnaire. In its theoretical part, the thesis introduces with multi-dimensional concept of school discipline and with works of the other authors. Further the thesis presents an overview of research methods for measuring of school discipline. The practicle parts presents the results of the author's own survey. These results have led for construction of the questionnaire with anchoring vignettes. These ones were compiled by using results of focus groups with 13 - 15 years old pupils and in-depth interviews with their teachers. The final questionnaire will be standardized within author's doctoral studies a thesis. Even so, it appeals that the anchoring vignette method takes its place in educationas scienses. KEYWORDS school discipline/undiscipline, anchoring vignettes method, fosuc group, in-depth interview, self-assessment

This dissertation deals with the use of the Anchoring Vignette Method in educational research carried out to establish the level of information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge and skills, with the focus on Czech upper-secondary school students. The theoretical part describes curricular documents that define the ICT knowledge and skills. In the Czech Republic that means mainly the Framework Educational Programmes. Attention is also paid to the international document DigComp. The Anchoring Vignette Method with the focus on nonparametric approach of this method is described in detail too. The author also provides an overview of available Czech and foreign bibliography on ICT knowledge and skills research - including the International Computer and Information Literacy (ICILS, 2013 and 2018) - and on the use of the Anchoring Vignette Method in educational research. The empirical part includes the description of the steps taken in formulating anchoring vignettes, this being an integral part of the Anchoring Vignette Method, in accordance with the curricular documents of the Czech Republic, and the steps taken while formulating anchoring vignettes on the basis of the international document DigComp. The verification of the fulfilment of the Anchoring Vignette Method assumptions (vignette...