1. SFM 651: Research Methods Dr. Johnson
Chapter 15: Surveys
SFM 651:
Research Methods
Dr. Johnson

2. Surveys Most common type of descriptive research
Seeks to determine present practices or opinions of a population
Questionnaire
Interview
Normative survey

3. Questionnaire Answering questions in writing
Interviews are the same, but oral
Participants SAY what they do
Don’t actually prove it
Can lie

4. Objective What information is wanted How will it be analyzed
How will they be described
How do you protect participants

5. Delimiting the sample Usually already know the sample
Based partly on the question
Need the sample to be representative
Make sure it represents who it should

6. Sampling error +/- 3% this is the sampling error
Standard error = variance / sample size
Variance = square root of…. (p(1-P)/n)
P is proportion that have the characteristic
Look on page 287
Lets try this out

7. Sample size How many people are in the study
Adequately represent the population
Time and money are considered

8. Questionnaires Open ended questions Closed ended questions
Allows for lots of answers
No real length limit on response
Hard to analyze responses
Closed ended questions
Limits responses
Usually scaled in some way
1-5
Excellent – poor
Yes / no
etc

9. Appearance and design Organize them well Make them appealing
Include contact info for investigator
Easy to answer questions first
Shorter = more responses

10. Electronic surveys More difficult because of distance
Cant talk to people
Usually sent to large amounts
More can be sent out
Lower percentage returned
Higher total number sometimes

11. Electronic issues Need to be more exact Better “look” to survey
What software will be used / purchased
Cover letter
Explaining what is needed and how completed
Typing errors s
responses