Title: Survey Research
1Survey Research
2Survey data
- Survey data are obtained when individuals respond
to questions asked by interviewers or when the
individual responds to questions that he has read - Quantitative and qualitative information
- Census or sample?
3Survey Sampling
- Sample Survey
- Sample of the population (e.g., sample of
Alberta CEOs) - Census Survey
- Complete population (e.g., all CEOs in
Lethbridge)
4Functions
- Descriptive
- Causal (limited function)
- Exploratory (limited function)
5Information Provided by Surveys
- respondents knowledge of facts
- how many times a month do you buy cookies?
- respondents attitudes
- chocolate chip is my favorite variety of
cookie. - May describe processes undertaken by respondent
- Stages in the purchase decision, for example
- usually self-report data
6- The type of information gathered depends on a
surveys objectives. - Surveys typically have multiple objectives
7Classifications
- Method of Communication
- Telephone
- Mail
- Personal interview
- Degree of Structure
- Unstructured
- structured
- Degree of Disguise
Limitations Structure and disguise are not
clear categories most surveys are hybrids
8- Temporal classifications
- Cross sectional studies
- Longitudinal studies
- Trend Studies
- Samples general population at each point
complete turnover in who is actually sampled - Cohort studies (tracking studies)
- Samples from one group over time e.g., sample of
a graduating class - Panel studies
- sample cohort, same specific respondents each
sample
9Method of Communication
- Media
- Personal Interviews
- Telephone Interviews
- Self administered Questionnaires
10Media
- Human interactive
- Electronic interactive researcher and respondent
interact using digital technology - Non-interactive media
11Personal interview
- Direct communication between business and
consumers in which interviewers ask respondents
questions in face to face situations - Key advantages
- Opportunities for feedback
- Probing for complex answers
- Length of interview
12Personal interview
- Direct communication between business and
consumers in which interviewers ask respondents
questions in face to face situations
13Key advantages Personal interview
- Opportunities for feedback
- Probing for complex answers
- Length of interview
- Completion rates
- Ability to use props
- High participation/low refusal rate (especially
if using call back)
14Key disadvantages
- Anonymity of respondent
- Interviewer bias
- Interviewer cheating
- cost
15Types of personal interviews
- Door to door interviews
- Low refusal rates
- Provide a more representative sample
- Provide a less representative sample
(under-representation of certain groups)
16Types of personal interviews
- Mall intercept
- Lower cost
- Provide a larger sample
- Useful if targeting particular population
- Increased use of visual aids
- Higher refusal rate
- Provide a less representative sample
17Telephone interviews
- Considered to be the primary method of survey
research
- Why
- representative samples
- Technology
- Perception of anonymity
18Key advantages Telephone interview
- Central location - increased quality of
supervision - Computer assisted telephone interviewing - data
entry - Speed
- Cost
19- Anonymity- absence of face to face contact
- Less interviewer cheating
- Less researcher bias
- Cooperation???
- Representative samples (RDD)
- Call backs easier
20Key disadvantages
- Cooperation
- Lack of visual media
- Limited duration
21Mail and self-administered questionnaires
- A very popular method of data collection
22Types of Mail Surveys
- Ad Hoc Mail Surveys
- Questionnaires for a particular project sent to
selected names and addresses with no prior
contact by the researcher. - Mail Panels
- Precontacted and screened participants who are
periodically sent questionnaires. - A mail panel is a type of longitudinal study. A
longitudinal study in one in which the same
respondents are resampled over time.
23Key advantages Self-administered
- Geographical flexibility
- Cost
- Respondent convenience - accuracy and reflection
- Anonymity
- Standardized questions - increase validity
24Key disadvantages Self-administered
- Time
- Length (6 pages)
- Interviewers absence
- Response rates
25Tactics Employed to Increase Response Rate
Advance postcard or telephone call alerting
respondent of survey Follow-up postcard or
phone call (coding/keying) Monetary incentives
(nickel, dime, quarter, half-dollar) Premiums
(pencil, pen, keychain, etc.) Postage stamps
rather than metered envelopes Self-addressed,
stamped return envelope Assurances regarding
length
26 Promise of contributions to favorite charity
Entry into drawing for prize Emotional
appeals Affiliation with universities or
research institutions Multiple mailings of the
questionnaire Bids for sympathy Reminder
that respondent participated in previous study
Interesting questions well laid out Ask the
right people A cover letter
27Cover Letter
- introduces who you are
- purpose and importance of study
- relevance of survey to respondent
- especially if they receive several surveys a
week, need to be convinced survey results matter
to them
28- why and how they were selected
- why their input is crucial
- e.g., As a respected member of the Trustees, you
have a unique perspective on....) - big name sponsor, if any
- e.g., University of Lethbridge, Heart Foundation,
etc.
29- give due date
- make reasonable but specific
- contact number if they have any questions
- include email these days too
- end by thanking them for completing survey
- explain direct incentive, if any (optional)
30Not just the mail...
- At point of service
- Fax surveys (respond by fax deliver by fax)
- Email surveys
- Computerized questionnaires (computer
interactive) - Internet surveys
31Factors Determining Choice of Particular Survey
Method
- Sampling Precision Required
- Budget Available
- The Need to Expose the Respondent to Various
Stimuli - Quality of Data Required
- Length of the Questionnaire
32- Necessity of Having Respondent Perform Certain
Specialized Tasks - Incident Rate
- Percentage of people or households in the general
population that fit the qualifications to be
sampled. - Degree of Structure of the Questionnaire
33Error
34Types of Error in Survey Research
- Random Sampling Error (Random error)
- Error that results from chance variation
- Impact can be decreased by increasing sample size
and through statistical estimation (confidence
interval) or rule of thumb - Systematic Error (non sampling error)
- Error that results for the research design or
execution.
35(No Transcript)
36Types of Systematic Error
- 1. Administrative Error
- Error that results from improper execution.
- Data Processing Error
- Quality of data depends on quality of data entry.
- Use of verification procedures can minimize
37- Sample Selection Error
- Systematic error resulting from improper sampling
techniques either in design or execution. - Interviewer Error
- Data recorded incorrectly (error or selective
perception). - Interviewer Cheating
- Mitigate by random checks
38- 2. Respondent Error
- Humans interviewing humans...
- Non-response error
- Statistical difference between a survey that
includes only those who responded and a survey
that also includes those who failed to respond. - Non-respondent person not contacted or who
refuses to participate - Self selection bias extreme positions represented
39- Response bias
- Errors that result from tendency to answer in a
certain direction. - Conscious or unconscious misrepresentation
- Types
- 1. Deliberate falsification (why?)
40- Why would people deliberately falsify data
- Appear to be what they are not
- Dont trust confidentiality
- Protect
- To end the interviewer quicker
- Average man effects
41- Types of response bias continued
- 1. Deliberate falsification
- 2. Unconscious misrepresentation
42- Reasons for unconscious misrepresentation
- Question format
- Question content
- Misunderstanding of question leading to biased
answer - Lack of time to consider answer fully
- Communication or semantic confusion
- other
43- Types of response bias
- Acquiescence bias individuals have a tendency to
agree or disagree with all questions or to
indicate a positive/negative connotation - Extremity bias results for response styles
varying from person to person some people tend
to use extremes when responding to questions
44- Types of response bias continued...
- Interviewer bias Bias in the responses of the
subject due to the influence of the interviewer - Auspices bias respondents being influenced by
the organization conducting the study - Social desirability bias caused by respondents
desire, either consciously or unconsciously to
gain prestige or to appear in a different social
role