1. Chapter 12: Survey Designs
Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Edition 5
John W. Creswell

2. By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
Define survey research, and describe when to use it, and how it developed
Describe the types of survey designs
Identify the key characteristics of survey research
Describe how to construct and use a mailed questionnaire
Describe how to design and conduct an interview survey
Identify potential ethical issues in survey research
List the steps in conducting survey research
Identify criteria useful for evaluating survey research

3. What Is Survey Research?
Survey research designs are procedures in quantitative research in which investigators administer a survey to a sample or to the entire population of people in order to describe the attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or characteristics of the population.

4. When to Use a Survey To assess trends
To assess opinions, beliefs, and attitudes of individuals
For follow-up analyses
For program evaluation

5. The Development of Survey Research
1817 International Survey of Education Systems
1890 Stanley Hall survey of children
1907 The Pittsburgh Survey examined social problems
WWI and WWII sampling techniques improved
Wide applications in social sciences-marketing research, public opinion research, journalism
Universities established social science research centers
Private organizations such as Gallup, Rand Corporation, and Roper formed
Internet-based surveys widely used

6. The Types of Survey Designs
Time of Data Collection
Study at One Point in Time
Study Over Time
Longitudinal
Cross-sectional
Trends in
the same
population
over time
Changes
in a
subpopulation
group identified
by a common
characteristic
over time
Changes
in the
same
people
over time
Attitudes
and
Practices
Community
Needs
Program
Evaluation
Group
Comparisons
National
Survey
Panel
Trend
Cohort

7. Key Characteristics of Survey Research
Sampling from a population
Collecting data through questionnaires or interviews
Designing instruments for data collection
Obtaining a high response rate

8. Population, Target Population, Sampling Frame, and Sample
The Population
The group of individuals having one characteristic that distinguishes them from other groups.
The Target Population or Sampling Frame
The actual list of sampling units from which the sample is selected.
The Sample
The group of participants in a study selected
from the target population from which the
researcher generalizes to the target population.

9. Reducing Error in Survey Research
Reducing coverage error: Have a good sampling frame list on which to select individuals
Reducing sampling error: Select as large a sample from the population as possible
Reducing measurement error: Use a good instrument with clear, unambiguous questions and response options
Reducing nonresponse error: Use rigorous administration procedures to achieve as large a return rate as possible

10. Forms of Data Collection Based on Who Completes or Records the Data
Participant
Researcher
Mailed
Questionnaire
Electronic
Questionnaire
One on one
One
To a
Group
Over
Telephone
Individual
Interview
Focus Group
Interview
Telephone
Interview

11. Steps in Designing an Instrument
Write different types of questions
Use strategies to construct good questions
Perform a pilot test of the questions

12. Aspects of Survey Instrument Design: Types of Questions
Personal
Attitudinal
Behavioral
Sensitive
Closed-ended
Open-ended

13. Question Construction Problems
Question is unclear because of vague words
Two or more questions in one
Question is wordy
Question contains negatives
Question contains jargon
Overlapping response options

14. Question Construction Problems (cont’d)
Unbalanced response options
Mismatch between questions and response options
Respondent does not have understanding to answer the question
Not all respondents can answer the question—need branching

15. Pilot Testing Test on a small number of individuals in the sample
Ask for written feedback on the questions
Revise the survey based on the written comments
Exclude the pilot participants from the final sample for the study

16. Strategies to Improve Response Rates
Prenotify participants
Use follow-up procedures
Study a problem interesting to the population under study
Use a brief instrument
Consider the use of incentives

17. Three-Phase Survey Administration Procedure
Step 1:
First Mailing
of Survey
Step 2:
Second Mailing
of Survey
Step 3:
Postcard
Mailing
2 Weeks
2 Weeks
2 Weeks
Start
6 Weeks
Time

18. Response Bias
The responses do not accurately reflect the views of the sample and the population.
Overly positive or negative
Assess response bias, particularly when response rates remain low
Wave analysis

19. Construct and Analyze a Mailed Questionnaire
Write a cover letter to invite the participants to complete the questionnaire
Form and construct the questionnaire
Identify what statistical procedures will be used to analyze data from the mailed questionnaire

20. Planning and Designing an Interview Survey
The interviewer should maintain a neutral stance during the interview
Train the interviewers prior to the interview
Take good notes of responses or use an audio recorder
For telephone interviews, develop a telephone interview guide prior to the interview

21. Potential Ethical Issues in Survey Research
Overstating the benefits of participating in the study
Placing interviewers or participants in unsafe situations
Protecting confidentiality of survey responses
Disclosing identity of individuals through data analysis of a subset
Not destroying instruments at the conclusion of the study

22. Steps in Conducting Survey Research
1. Decide if a survey is the best design to use
2. Identify the research questions or hypotheses
3. Identify the population, the sampling frame, and the sample
4. Determine the survey design and data collection procedures

23. Steps in Conducting Survey Research (cont’d)
5. Develop or locate an instrument
6. Administer the instrument
7. Analyze the data to address the research questions or hypotheses
8. Write the report

24. Evaluating Survey Research
Describes the target population
Identifies and uses a systematic approach to identifying the sample
Identifies the size of the sample and means for identifying the sample size
Identifies the type of survey used
Mention survey instrument for data collection

25. Evaluating Survey Research (cont’d)
Reports the reliability and validity of past scores on the instrument
Discusses procedures for administering the instrument
Administration procedures provide a discussion about the follow-up procedures to ensure a high return rate
Provides a systematic procedure for analyzing the survey data