Descriptive survey

It is design to obtain information from population

regarding prevalence , distribution &
interrelations of V. within those samples.
Survey : Is a term used to designate any R.
activity in which investigator gathers data from a
portion of a population or from sample for the
purpose of examining cha. , opinions or intentions
of that population .
 Types - survey

• Telephonic interview
• Personal interview
• Questionnaire
Advantages : 1 Flexibility & extensive coverage of population
possible .
2) Can focus on wide range of topic
3 ) Information obtained can be used for many purposes
4) Easy to gather relation small no. of respondents can
provide accurate picture of target population .
 Limitations

• Information obtained is superficial

• It do not permit the Rr.to have much confidence in interfering
cause & effect relationships.
• Requires lot of time & other resources
• Useful for intensive analysis than extensive analysis .
• Data do not permit the Rr. to infer cause – effect relationship
• No control over V. They can not be manipulated & can be
very demanding in terms of time & stationary
• Willingness or ability to reply also can alter the response
especially questions or information is R/T intimate & personal
issues e.g. income , marital relationship
• During interview if interviewer put emphasis or stress
particular words or non verbal expressions of interviewer can
lead to error or bias
• Response rate – It depends upon the method chosen , length
of questionnaire , motivation of respondent , awareness of
respondent R/t survey may alter the response rate
 Correlational

In this Rr. examines strength of the relationship b/w two or more V. In these
type of studies Rr. do not test whether one V. causes another variablebut
Rr observes that if one V. changes does another V. has effect or shows
changes . In these type of studies magnitude or strength of the
relationship b/w V. is observed

e.g. relationship b/w staff turnover

It involves systematic investigation of relationships b/w or among two or
more V. in a sample & then uses correlational statistics (coef. of
correlation) to determine the the relationship among the V. with the use
of correlational analysis .
Rr.is able to determine the degree or the strength & type of relationship. It
may be positive or negative.
• Primary intention of these studies is to explain the nature of
relationship in the real world & not to determine cause & effect
relationship .
• Positive relationship indicates that the V. vary together
e.g.Individuals who smoke more experience lung damage more
• Relationship b/w uncertainty & coping ( uncertainity
decreases coping increases .
• Advantages : An increased flexibility when investigating
complex relationships among V.
An efficient & effective method of collecting a large amount of
data about problem area .
• Potential for practical application in clinical setting
• Very useful design for clinical studies
Disadvantages : 1) V. of interest are beyond the Rr.S control
2) Rr. Is unable to determine causal relationship b/w the
variables due to lack of manipulation , control &
randomization.
 Prediction studies
• In this design Rr. Analyses the data on one
group of subjects to predict how another
group of subjects will respond . It can be
retrospective or prospective .
• In retrospective the relationship among
Variables for which outcome is known is
studied.
• In prospective – Attempt is made to
determine how one group will do based on
data previously obtained from another group.
• Advantages : Can serve as a tool in the
decision making process regarding specific
progrmmes or treatment
• Disadvantage :Behavior of one group will
never correspond exactly to that of another
group .
• Predictions are always subject to error.
Prospective – In this Rr. Selects a population &
follows it over time to determine outcome .
These types of studies are used freuently
epidemiological R. to determine the effect of
certain factors in development of particular
disease. E.g
• E.g. – Prospective
• Done by Framingham : the effect of B.p.,
cholesterol level , smoking , exercise & other
V. on the delp. Of coronary artery disease in a
cohort of healthy man.
 Advantages
• These type of studies are stronger than
retrospective
• Can provide better evidence of relationship
b/w variables.
• Results obtain from these studies may provide
primary research to generate hypotheses
which can be tested with experimental &
quasi experimental method
• Rr. Can determine the sequence of events
which can become useful to determine
temporal antecedence ( previous history )
Prediction studies