1. Foundations of Sociological Inquiry Survey Research

2. Today’s Objectives  And the Winners Are….  Ethics and Human Subjects  Topics for Survey Research  How to Ask Questions  Questionnaire Construction  Types of Surveys  Strengths and Weaknesses of Survey Research  Questions?

3. 156 students completed the survey for 30 extra credit points! And the Winners are…. 1st Choice 2nd 3rd Total points

4. 156 students completed the survey for 30 extra credit points! And the Winners are…. 1st Choice 2nd 3rd Total points 4. Innocence 6 14 12 58

5. 156 students completed the survey for 30 extra credit points! And the Winners are…. 1st Choice 2nd 3rd Total points 4. Innocence 6 14 12 58 3. Fear of Crime 9 9 15 60

6. 156 students completed the survey for 30 extra credit points! And the Winners are…. 1st Choice 2nd 3rd Total points 4. Innocence 6 14 12 58 3. Fear of Crime 9 9 15 60 2. Body Image 9 15 9 66

7. 156 students completed the survey for 30 extra credit points! And the Winners are…. 1st Choice 2nd 3rd Total points 4. Innocence 6 14 12 58 3. Fear of Crime 9 9 15 60 2. Body Image 9 15 9 66 1. Organizational Habits 28 24 21 153

8. Ethics and Human Subjects  Voluntary Participation  DO NO HARM  Anonymity & Confidentiality

9. When is survey research the best method available? 1. when collecting original data 2. when describing a population too large to observe directly 3. when measuring attitudes 4. all of the above

10. Topics for Survey Research  Birth, Death, Migration  Marriage, Divorce, Childbearing  Attitudes about War, Peace  Political Behavior, Involvement in Social Movements  Criminal Behavior, Contact with the Criminal Justice System, the Courts  Organizational Behavior  Employment, Wages  Education, Use of Technology, Skills  Attitudes/behaviors about Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll

11. How to Ask Questions  Select appropriate question forms.  Make items clear.  Avoid double-barreled questions.  Respondents must be competent to answer.  Respondents must be willing to answer.  Questions should be relevant.  Avoid negative items.  Avoid biased items and terms.

12. _____ questions have a respondent select an answer from a list provided. 1. Open-ended 2. Pre-test 3. Experimental 4. Close-ended

13. How to Ask Questions  Open-Ended Questions  questions for which the respondent is asked to provide his/her own answers.  Close-Ended Questions  survey questions in which the respondent is asked to select an answer from a list provided by the researcher.

14. Questionnaire Construction  Ordering Items in a Questionnaire  Appearance  Open-Ended or Closed-Ended First?  Questionnaire Instructions  Introductory comments and clear instructions  Pre-testing the Questionnaire

15. As a general rule, a questionnaire should be: 1. spread out 2. uncluttered 3. relevant 4. all of the above

16. Types of Surveys  Self-administered (mail out – mail back)  Telephone  Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)  In person interviews  Computer-Assisted Survey Interview (CASI)  Online surveys

17. Strengths and Weaknesses of Survey Research  Strengths  Useful in describing large populations  Surveys are flexible  Standardized questions

18. Strengths and Weaknesses of Survey Research  Strengths  Useful in describing large populations  Surveys are flexible  Standardized questions  Weaknesses  Round pegs in square holes  Seldom deal with context of social life  Inflexible  Artificial  Weak on validity

19. Questions?