Introduction to Survey Research

1
Introduction to Survey Research

• Survey research is
• the most popular and common research method used
  in social sciences as well as in our society
• is one of the most important areas of measurement
  in applied social research.
• The broad area of survey research encompasses any
  measurement procedures that involve asking
  questions of respondents.

2
What is a survey?

• A "survey" can be anything from a short
  paper-and-pencil feedback form to an intensive
  one-on-one in-depth interview.

3
Why conduct survey research?

• Gather information not available from other
  sources
• Unbiased representation of population interest
  (depending on sampling)
• Consistency of measurement

4
Purpose

• The aim of survey research is to measure certain
  attitudes and/or behaviors of a population or a
  sample.
• The purpose of survey is to collect information
  from many individuals, hoping to understand them
  as a whole.

5
Focus

• Survey research focuses on naturally occurring
  phenomena. Rather than manipulating phenomena,
  survey research attempts to influence the
  attitudes and behaviors it measures as little as
  possible. Most often, respondents are asked for
  information.

6
Types of Data

• Survey research is primarily quantitative, but
  qualitative methods can be used too.

7
Sampling

• A researcher may be able to gather data from all
  members of a population. Most of the time, the
  population is so large that researchers must
  sample only a part of the population and make
  conclusions about the population based on the
  sample.
• Because of this, gaining a representative sample
  is crucial in survey research.

8
Possible sources of bias

• Demand characteristics
• Reactivity
• Response Bias

9
Survey

• The survey is a non-experimental, descriptive
  research method. Surveys can be useful when a
  researcher wants to collect data on phenomena
  that cannot be directly observed.
•  
• The major issues related to survey research are
  sampling issues and questionnaire design. These
  affect the accuracy, reliability, and
  representativeness of the research findings.

10
Survey Research Classifications

• Classified according to PURPOSES
• Exploratory survey to form general ideas about
  the research questions
• Descriptive survey to collect more specific
  descriptions of the variables of interest
• Explanatory survey to develop understanding of
  relationships among variables of interest

11
Classification

• Classified according to TIME
• Cross-sectional survey Data are collected at one
  point in time from a sample selected to represent
  a larger population.
• Longitudinal surveys to collect data over time.
• Trend Studies Surveys of sample population at
  different points in time
• Cohort Studies Study of same population each
  time data are collected, although samples studied
  may be different
• Panel Studies Collection of data at various time
  points with the same sample of respondents.

12
Classification

• Classified according to DATA COLLECTION
  APPROACHES
• Face-to-Face Survey
• Mail Survey
• Telephone Survey
• Web Survey

13
Survey Research Process

• Survey research (like all research) begins with
  identifying a problem and posing it as a research
  question.
• In higher education,
• Problem "Freshman enrollments are down."
• Question "What do college-bound high school
  students think of us?"

14
Survey Research Process

• The survey research process includes the design
  of a survey, the acquisition of a sample, the
  fielding of the survey, and analysis and
  presentation of results.

15
Conducting a Survey

• The steps and tasks in conducting survey
• planning
• sampling
• construction of questionnaire
• data collection
• translation of data
• analysis
• conclusions
• reporting

16
Issues to consider in survey research

• What is your RESEARCH QUESTION?
• Population accessibility, literacy, and language
  issues?
• Sampling available data and participation of
  respondents?
• Questions type, length, and complexity?
  existing questionnaire?
• Content knowledge of?
• Bias honest responses and social desirability?
• Administrative cost, time, and equipment?

17
Some sites to explore

• Internet Sites Related to Survey Research
• http//www.srl.uic.edu/srllink/srllink.htm
• American Statistical Association Survey Research
  Methods Section Information.
• http//www.stat.ncsu.edu/info/srms/srms.html