Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications Chapter Nine Surveys: Putting Numbers on Opinions

Key Concepts Surveys – ▫Capture public opinion at a point in time. ▫Use formatted rather than open-ended questions. ▫Administered by phone, mail, , web, or interview. With appropriate sampling, we can generalize with a known statistical confidence from a sample to a wider population. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Survey Definition A series of formatted questions delivered to a defined sample of people with the expectation of responses immediately or within a few days. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Survey Advantages & Disadvantages AdvantagesDisadvantages Relatively low costGenerally limited to scaled or check-list questions Relatively fast deliveryNo control over response rate Rapid data processingProvides information more than understanding Can research large populations Increasing public resistance Multiple methods – phone, mail, Internet. Difficult to explore issues in depth. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

General Survey Questions Demographics ▫age, sex, religion, marital status, occupation. Knowledge Attitudes Behavior Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Types of Surveys Cross-sectional - “slice of time.” Longitudinal ▫Trend - different people over time ▫Cohort - same type of people over time ▫Panel - same individuals over time ▫Cross-lagged - measures a dependent variable and an independent variable at two points in time. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Types of Questions Open ended My age is _____ Dichotomous – Have you read the book? ___ Yes ___ No Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Types of Questions – cont. Multiple choice - mutually exclusive – My age at last birthday was - ____ ____ ____ ____ Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Types of Questions - cont. Multiple choice, check any – Class should be held at - ___ 5 a.m. ___ 6 a.m. ___ 7 a.m. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Types of Questions - cont. Rank order – Please rank order your choices by writing ‘1’ next to your first choice, ‘2’ next to your second choice, and so on. My ideal partner should be – ___ Rich ___ Good looking ___ Powerful ___ Intelligent Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Types of Questions - cont. Likert Scale Strongly Strongly AgreeAgree Neutral DisagreeDisagree 1. Hybrid vehicles are powerful. _______ ____ ____ _____ 2. Hybrid vehicles reduce dependency on foreign oil. _______ _____ ____ _____ Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Types of Questions – cont. Semantic Differential Scale The XKJ Bogbuster 300 is Powerful---Weak Expensive---Cheap Good looking - --Ugly Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Common Problems with Wording Leading questions - ▫When did you first start plagiarizing your research papers? Double-barreled questions – ▫Will you vote against the building demolition, or aren’t you going to vote? Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

“Funnel” Structure of Questionnaires Funnel – ▫Broad, general questions lead to narrow specific questions. Inverted Funnel – ▫Narrow, specific questions lead to broad, general questions. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

“Filter” Questions Filter instructions and questions route respondents around questions that do not apply to them. Example: If this home has an Internet connection, please continue with question 6. If it has no Internet connection, please go to question 18. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

PRE-TEST, PRE-TEST, PRE-TEST Aesthetics and design of questionnaire. Logic and flow of wording. Words – and their specific meaning(s) If it can be misunderstood it will be. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Improving Response Rates Advance letter or phone call. Reminder letter or phone call. Reply paid envelopes for mail. Small gift or donation to charity. Follow up “thank you” Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Chapter Summary Surveys – common method for capturing public opinion can be fast and cost-effective use formatted questions such as checklists and scales use phone, mail, , Web site, or personal interview must be carefully worded and pre-tested with proper sampling, results can be generalized to a wider population cannot assess causal relationships between variables results are valid only as of the time the survey was done. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Vocabulary Review survey questionnaire opinion multiple choice cross sectional trend panel cohort cross-lagged longitudinal demographic open-ended questions scaled questions dichotomous questions rank order questions Likert scale semantic Differential scale leading questions double-barreled questions double negative funnel format inverted funnel format filter questions response rates SPSS Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Vocabulary Review Cohorts Cross-lagged surveys Cross-sectional surveys Demographic questions Dichotomous questions Double-barreled questions Double negative Filter questions Funnel Inverted funnel Leading questions Longitudinal studies Multiple-choice questions Negative wording Op-scan Panel Questionnaire Scaled questions Trend studies Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Web Resources The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) - NORC “What is a survey?” - Council of American Research Organizations - Cool Surveys - Zoomerang - Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications