Research Methods Chapter 7 Survey Research

Survey Research: A Brief Intro 4 Developed in the early through mid 20th century 4 Two options –Those directed at a specific research question –The Omnibus survey {e.g. The General Social Survey (GSS)}

4 Thus, you can choose to: –Use previously gathered data or questions/scales E.g. Handbook of Research Design and Social Measurement –Write your own questions from scratch –Modify existing questions

The Attractiveness of Survey Research 4 Surveys are attractive because of their: –Versatility –Efficiency –Generalizability 4 However, for them to be valid you need to pay attention to: –Sampling –Measurement –Overall Design

Writing Clear and Meaningful Questions….

Avoid Confusing Phrasing 4 Use proper grammar 4 Phrase questions simply and briefly

Avoid Vagueness 4 e.g. questions about thoughts and feelings are more reliable if they refer to specific times or events –“On how many days did you read the newspaper in the last week?” is more reliable than: “how often do you read the newspaper?” 4 Limit the time frame –“how many times did you visit a medical doctor over the last 12 months?”

4 Avoid Double Negative Questions –“Do you disagree that there should not be a tax increase?” 4 Avoid Double-Barreled Questions –“Do you think that President Nixon should be impeached and compelled to leave the Presidency or not?”

4 Avoid Loaded Questions –A 1974 survey found that 18% of respondents supported sending U.S. troops “If a situation like Vietnam were to develop in another part of the world.” –This rose to 33% when the question was reworded and made a loaded question by asking if it was favorable to send troops to “stop a communist takeover”

Minimize the Risk of Bias 4 specific words in a question should not invoke bias unless that is the intent of the researcher: –E.g. a “loaded” question –Make sure that you have all choices available for respondents: What is your racial/ethnic heritage? –White, Hispanic-American, African-American, Asian- American, Native-American, other

Allow for Disagreement 4 People often tend to “agree” with a statement just to avoid seeming disagreeable or immoral 4 phrase questions & responses to seem as socially approved, and “agreeable,” as every other –E.g. Use “Have you ever taken anything from a store without paying for it?” instead of “Have you ever shoplifted something from a store?”

Minimize Fence-Sitting and Floating 4 Fence-Sitters- individuals who may skew results if they are neutral and you force them to choose between opposites –use a response like “neutral” category 4 Floaters: those who choose an answer when they really don’t know –Include a “don’t know” category

Make Categories Exhaustive and Mutually Exclusive 4 Exhaustive: include an “other” or “don’t know” category, for example –E.g. Race: 1) White 2) African-American 3) Hispanic 4) Asian 5)Other 4 Mutually Exclusive –Not This: »High = »Medium = »Low = 0-10 –But This »High = »Medium = »Low 0-10

4 Types of Survey Designs 4 Mailed, Self-Administered –Response rate generally not much above 80% –See Schutt for examples of how to improve response rate 4 Group-Administered –Completed by individuals who are assembled in a group High response rate

4 Telephone –2 things may undermine the validity of a phone survey not reaching sample units Not getting enough responses to generalize findings 4 In-Person Interview –Often best for open ended questions –Good for interpreting body language –Requires a balance between rapport and control