1. A Common Method of Data Collection
Survey Research
A Common Method of Data Collection

2. Kinds of Surveys “Paper and pencil” Interview Observation
“Cursor and mouse”
Interview
Observation

3. Purposes Sampling a large population Needs assessment
Complicated information
Point-in-time information
Longitudinal studies

4. Steps Create the survey instrument Create a sampling plan
Collect the data

5. What’s a Good Response Rate?
It depends …
Underlying population
Questions being asked
Degree of accuracy needed
In General …
50% ok
60% good
70% very good
80% excellent

6. Strategies for Increasing Response Rate
What has hooked you to complete a survey?
Review of an awful survey
Strategies, in general
Increase interest in responding
Make it impossible not to respond

7. Specific Strategies Mailing-related strategies Cover letter strategies
Survey appearance strategies
Questions, and question order
Follow-up

8. Interviewing Data collection, not therapy Probing for responses
Exact wording and responses
Probing for responses

9. On-line Surveys Biggest advantage: low cost and hassle
Biggest disadvantage? You say

10. Secondary Analysis Secondary study of already-collected data
Why? Low hassle
Lots of datasets on the internet
You inherit the original researcher’s problems as well as triumphs