Chapter 17 Introduction to Survey Research

Surveys – why a survey? Surveys are conducted to describe the characteristics of a population. Examples of characteristics Demographic Political Social issues Education issues Marketing/Advertising Associations between variables are often sought (e.g. correlational studies).

Major types of surveys Cross-sectional –Collected at one point in time –From members of the population across one (or more) given characteristic (e.g. age, race, grade level) –Obviously, since one point in time, one sample is needed Longitudinal –Collected at more than one point in time from the same population –Not necessarily the same sample – might be, might not be

Longitudinal studies Collecting data (surveying) at more than one point in time –Trend, Panel, Cohort Differ along the dimensions of sampling from the population and the exact nature of that population. The Target Population remains the same. Trend – Members of the population change – new sample from the population taken at each different point in time Cohort – members of the population do NOT change - new sample taken at each different point in time Panel – Population may or may not change – the same exact sample is used at each point in time

Steps to conducting a survey Define or Identify the problem – –Articulate the purpose. What is the research question? (What are 4 char of a good RQ?) –Purpose or research questions can be further developed into objectives. Articulate each objective. (Book calls this “hierarchical set of RQ’s) Identify your target population –Is it clear? Can the members be easily identified, delineated? Accessible? Select a mode of data collection –Mail? Phone? Mall clipboard? Interview? Direct administration to a group? Prepare the questionnaire Collect the data Compile, then Analyze, then Interpret.

Mode of Data Collection Direct Administration to a group –Simplest, easiest, highest return rate, typically done in colleges Mail Surveys –Relatively cheap, time consuming, low-return rate –Use incentives to increase rates Telephone surveys –Relatively expensive, intensive-short time duration, effective & efficient techniques, training, phone bank needed –Cell phones starting to make a negative impact Interviews –Time consuming, more in-depth responses, training, costly (labor)

Advantages and Disadvantages of Survey Data-Collection Methods Direct AdminTelephon Interview Comparative costLowestSameSameHigh Facilities needed?YesNoNoYes Require training of questioner?YesYesNoYes Data collection timeShortestShortLongerLongest Response rateVery highGoodPoorestVery high Group administration possible?YesNoNoYes Allow for random sampling?PossiblyYesYesYes Require literate sample?YesNoYesNo Permit follow-up questions?NoYesNoYes Encourage response to sensitive topics?SomewhatSomewhatBestWeak Standardization of responsesEasySomewhatEasyHardest

Example of an Ideal vs. an Actual Telephone Sample for a Specific Question

Advantages and Disadvantages of Closed-Ended vs. Open-Ended Questions Enhances consistency of response across respondents. Easier and faster to tabulate. More popular with respondents. Allows more freedom of response. Easier to construct. Permits follow-up by interviewer. May limit breadth of responses. Takes more time to construct. Requires more questions to cover the research topic. Responses tend to be inconsistent in length and content across respondents. Both questions and responses subject to misinterpretation. Harder to tabulate and synthesize. Advantages Disadvantages Close - ended Open- ended Close - ended Open- ended

Non-respondents Question to answer: Are the respondents different than the non-respondents. You hope not. How do you know? –Know the important characteristics of the population –Collect data about these important characteristics –Compare the data from the respondents to the population –If the characteristics of respondents = population: Good! –If the characteristics of respondents differ from the population : Bad

Some basics about conducting a mail survey –Use an incentive –Use 2-3 mailings –For anonymity, use coding –Cover letter (contains informed consent)