Surveys Revisited

Steps for administering a survey Identify a population (will be Fenger students) Identify a population (will be Fenger students) Select a ______ sample of your population Select a ______ sample of your population Develop a research question that can be tested through students’ opinions. Develop a research question that can be tested through students’ opinions. Dress code Dress code School lunch School lunch School schedule School schedule Etc. Etc.

Three different types of questions 1. Closed questions 2. Open-ended questions 3. Contingency questions

Closed Questions Closed (or multiple choice) questions ask the respondent to choose, among a possible set of answers, the response that most closely represents his/her viewpoint.

Open Ended Questions Open-ended or free-response questions are not followed by any choices and the respondent must answer by supplying a response, usually by entering a number, a word, or a short text. Advantages Advantages They allow the respondent to express their ideas to express their ideas spontaneously They allow the respondent to express their ideas to express their ideas spontaneously Disadvantages Disadvantages They may be difficult to answer and even more difficult to analyze They may be difficult to answer and even more difficult to analyze

Contingency Questions A special case of a closed-ended question because it applies only to a subgroup of respondents A special case of a closed-ended question because it applies only to a subgroup of respondents

Label the questions in the Journal Topic with the appropriate type of question.

Guidelines for writing a good research survey Keep the vocabulary simple Keep the vocabulary simple Avoid acronyms, slang, and technical terms Avoid acronyms, slang, and technical terms Keep the questions short Keep the questions short 25 words or less 25 words or less Avoid double-barreled questions Avoid double-barreled questions “Do you have your own table or your own room to do homework” “Do you have your own table or your own room to do homework”

Continued… Avoid Hypothetical questions Avoid Hypothetical questions Would you text during class if it was allowed? Would you text during class if it was allowed? Don’t require too much thought from the respondent Don’t require too much thought from the respondent “In the last month how many hours of homework did you do on an average day?” “In the last month how many hours of homework did you do on an average day?” Avoid double negatives Avoid double negatives Should texting not be allowed? Should texting not be allowed?

Avoid Overlapping response categories Avoid Overlapping response categories It shouldn’t be possible to agree with or choose more than one category. It shouldn’t be possible to agree with or choose more than one category.Example: Do students generally do their homework: (check one only) Usually on time Sometimes a day late Sometime a week late

Avoid leading questions!!!! Avoid leading questions!!!!

Try… Explain use of closed, open, and contingency questions Explain use of closed, open, and contingency questions Draft two closed questions, two open questions on the topic of your choice Draft two closed questions, two open questions on the topic of your choice

When forming your survey be sure to gain the following information… Gender and age Gender and age Year in school Year in school