Survey Research

Dhanaseelan .P
 Surveys
(Introduction)
 “ A type of research to collect the data
and facts about some certain situation
or issue from the target population
existing in surroundings having
relevance to the nature of study.”
 “ Survey research is the research
strategy to study the relationships and
characteristics.”
 “surveys are based on the desire to
collect information (usually by
questionnaire) about a well defined
issue or situation (hypothesis) from the
well defined population”

 Surveys are method of data collection in

which information is gathered through
oral or written questioning”
 “Data collection through survey involves
persuasion of respondents and then on
some level social interaction between the
respondents and the research
interviewer”
 A team effort of many people having
diverse skills.
 surveys are now used in all areas of life.
For example business, politics,
agriculture, industry, education, media
etc.
Why surveys? (Purpose & Uses)
 To provide someone with information
(to describe the situations).
 To explain the situations (analytical
surveys).
 Problem identification & solving.
 To measure the change.
 To study attitudes, behavior and
habits.
 To examine the cause-effect
relationship.
 To study the characteristics.
 To formulate a hypothesis.
 To test a hypothesis.
 Decision making.
Types Of Surveys:
Descriptive Survey
“A descriptive survey attempts to picture or
document current conditions or attitudes
that is, to describe what exists at
the moment”
Examples:
 Audience survey to determine the program
taste.
 To study the changing values, life style by h
te
effect of some special type of program.
Analytical Surveys

“An analytical survey attempts to describe

and explain WHY certain situations exist.
Here we examine two, or more variable
to test our research hypothesis”

Examples:
 How life-style effects the t.v. viewing habits.
 Impact of war games on teenagers.
Some more types…
 1- Factual surveys.
(respondents act as reporters).
 2- Opinion surveys.
(respondents expresses his view point
opinion).
 3-Interpretative surveys.
(interpretation )
Example: Why do you read
newspapers?
 Steps in the Process of
Survey Research
Step 1:-
 Develop Hypotheses.
 Decide on type of survey (mail
interview, telephone).
 Write survey questions.
 Decide on response categories.
 Design layout.
Step 2:-
 Plan how to record data.
 Pilot test survey instrument.
 Revise the instrument.
Step 3:-
 Decide on target population.
 Get sampling frame.
 Decide on sampling size.
 Select sample.
Step 4:-
 Locate respondents.
 Conduct interviews.
 Carefully record data.
Step 5 :-
 Enter data into computers.
 Recheck all data.
 Perform statistical analysis on data.
Step 6:-
 Describe methods and findings in
research report.
 Present findings to others for critique
and evaluation.
Three Methods of survey

 Mailed
questionnaire.

 Personal
interview.

 Telephone
 The Mailed Questionnaire
 It is one of the most
important data collection
survey method.

 Mail survey involves

sending a cover letter and a
questionnaire to a specific
person.
Advantages
 Low cost.
 Reduction in biasing errors.
 Greater anonymity.
 Accessibility.
 Less time & trained staff.
Disadvantages
 Requires simple questions.
 No probing opportunity.
 No control over WHO fils?
 Low response rate.
Personal Interviews
Interviewing is a form of
questioning characterized
by the fact that it
employs verbal
questioning.
Together with the
questionnaire , interviews
make up the survey
method, which is one of the
most popular technique of
data collection.
Advantages
 Flexibility in questioning.
 Control over the interview situation.
 High response rate.
 Collection of supplement data.
Disadvantages
 Higher cost.
 Interviewer bias.
 Respondent’s hesitation on sensitive
topics.
 Greater staff requirement.
Telephone Interview

Telephone interview
demonstrates the
same structural
characteristics as
standard interviewing
technique, except
that it is conducted by
telephone.
 Advantages
 Moderate cost.
 Less time consumption.
 Higher response rate.
 Quality ……(Supervision , Recording)
Disadvantages
 Hesitation to discuss sensitive topics.
 The “Broken-Off ”interviews.
 No supplement information.
 Mailed Questionnaire
Introduction

 Mail survey involves sending a cover letter

and a questionnaire to a specific person.

 The cover letter states the purpose sponsor

instructions and time of return.

 The questionnaire---- totally self explanatory,

clear and simple.
Advantages of Questionnaire
 Less expensive (no need of interviewers).
 Quick results.
 Less opportunity for bias and errors.
 Wide coverage
 Respondents may use personal records.
 Collection of data about sensitive topics.
 Less time consumption.
 High response rate.
Disadvantages

 Many factors effect on response

rate
 Low education.
 Disliking to write.
 Disliking to read.
 No interest in the
topic.
 No further explanations
 Lack of understanding of respondents.
 We receive minimum amount of in
formations against open ended questions.
Disadvantages

 No probing and clarification.

 No identity of the respondent.(some
one else can also fill).
 No s u p e r v i s i o n -  partial responses.
When to
design?
1 The problem
SOP

PSM

2 Literat
ure
review
.
3Hypothesis (Variables, Operationalization)
4-Literature review.
5 Sampling.
Sampling
“The process of choosing some
representative members from the target
population”

1 Probability Sampling.
2 Non-Probability Sampling.
Probability Sampling
 Simple random sampling.
 Systematic sampling.
 Cluster sampling.
 Stratified random sampling.
 Multi phase sampling.
 Multi stage sampling.
 Panel studies.
 Spatial sampling.
Non-Probability Sampling

 Accidental sampling.
 Purposive sampling.
 Quota sampling.
 Snow ball sampling
 Etc etc…
 Structure of the Questionnaire

There are three main elements:

 The cover letter.
 The instructions.
 The main body.
 The Cover Letter
The cover letter must have the following
details;

 The main objectives and social

significance of the study;
 The research team and its sponsors;
 The reasons why the respondent
should complete the questionnaire;
 Assurance of anonymity and confidentiality;
 Requirements for completion such as
maximum time, conditions, etc;
 Issues related to ethics.
The Instructions
 How to fill the questionnaire?
 To remind the Ethics.
 To request the respondents not to
please the researcher.
The Main Body
 It includes questions.
 Be careful with regard o
t;
 Content.
 Structure.
 Format.
 Wording.
 Flow.
 Questionnaire Format
 It refers to the general model whc
ih
provides guidelines on hoe the
questions should be placed?

 Logical Order
 Transition and Flow
 Questionnaire Formats
 Funnel Format
 Inverted Funnel Format
 Diamond Format
 X-Format
 Box Format
 Mixed Format
 Steps in Questionnaire
Construction
The process of questionnaire construction
goes through a number of interrelated
steps as;

Step 1: Preparation:
 Decision for the most suitable type of
questionnaire.
 Determine the way how it will be
managed?
 Literature Review.

Step 2:
Constructing the First Draft:

 Formulation of the material.

 Implementation of decided method of
questionnaire.
 Secondary and tertiary questions.
Step 3: Self Critique:

Testing of ;
 Relevance

 Symmetry
 Clarity
 Simplicity
Accordanc
e with the
basic
rules.
Step 4: External Scrutiny:

 Expert’s inspection And suggestions.

 Addition….
 Deletion….
 Changing…
Step 5:
Re-examination & Revision:

 After changing …Re-examination by

the experts.
 Implementation of the final changes.
Step 6: Pre-testing:

 Selection of the small sample.

 Filling up of the questionnaire.
 Analysis of the data.
 Step 7: Revision:

 Revision of the minor changes by h

te
researcher himself.
 Revision of the major changes by the help
of experts.
Step 8: Second Pre-test:

 Revised questionnaire filing.

 Data analysis.
 Adjustments & revision.
Step 9: Final Draft Formulation:

 Editorial work.
 Checking for spelling mistakes.
 Legibility.
 Instructions.
 Space for responses.
 Scaling issues
 General presentation.
 Types of Questions
 Primary Questions
 Directly related, as
 “Who is boss in your home?”

 Secondary Questions
 Provides info on secondary issues
 Types of Questions
 Tertiary Questions
 Padding Questions (Breather)
 Probes (Stimulating)
 Direct Questions
 Do you believe in god?
 Indirect Questions
 Do u think that ppl of ur age and status
believe in god?
 Types of Questions
 Suggestive Questions

 Filter and contingency Questions

 Fixed alternative & Open ended

Response Format…should be

 Accurate
 Exhaustive
 Mutually Exclusive
 Uni-dimensional
 Response Sets
 Numerical Responses
 Verbal Scale
 Increasing length scale
 Graphic responses
 Graphic-Numerical Responses
 Thermometer Scale
 Face Scale
 Response Sets
 Ladder Scale
 Likert Scale
 Multiple Choice Options
 Semantic Differential Scale
 Ranking Scale
 Fill in the blanks
 Etc…..
 Rules of Questionnaire
Construction
 Well presented, easy to follow.
 Good response categories
 Clear instructions
 Space for answers
 Relevancy
 Ambiguity
 What not to ask?
 The language
 Rules of Questionnaire
Construction
 Logical progression
 Professional appearance
 Print and colors
 The size
 Ethics
Interviews
 Types of Interviews
 Structured vs Non-structured
 Standardized vs Non-standardized
 Other vs self-administrated
 Unique vs Panel
 Hard vs Soft
 Personal vs non-personal
 Types of Interviews
 Oral vs written
 Open vs guided
 Problem centered
 Clinical
 Biographical
 Interview: The
process
 Seeking respondents
 Asking & recording questions
 Field supervision and checks
 Completion and interpretation
The Interviewer’s Tasks
 Approaching the respondents
 Arranging
 Performing
 Controlling & recording
 Avoiding bias
 Establishing +ve relations.
 Telephone Interviews

 Intro
 Questions
 Recording
 Ethics