Chapter 6- Traditional Survey Research Flashcards
The need to know why
there is a critical need to know about why ppl do something; we don’t mean to imply that surveys can prove causation, only that they can be used to develop some idea of the casual forces at work
The need to know how
the researcher often finds it necessary to understand the process consumer go through before taking some action;
The need to know who
the researcher needs to know who the person is and who played an influencing role in the decision making process, from a demographic or lifestyle perspective
Random error
Error that results from chance variation (the diff btwn the sample calue and the true value of pop. mean)
Fix: increasing sample size
Systematic Error, or bias
error that results from problems or flaws in the execution of the research design; sometimes called nonsampling error
Fix: minimizing sample size and measurement errors
Sample design error
a systematic error that results from a problem in the sample design or sampling procedures; types of sample design errors include frame errors, population specification errors, and selection errors
Frame error
error resulting from an inaccurate or incomplete sampling frame
Fix: getting the best sampling frame possible and doing preliminary quality control checks to evaluate the accuracy and completeness of the fame
Population Specification Error
results from an incorrect definition of the population or universe from which the sample is to be selected ie. sample of 35 yr. olds when it should have been 20 yr. olds
Fix: can be reduced only by more careful consideration and definition of the population issue
Selection Error
occurs when sampling procedures are incomplete or improper or when appropriate selection procedures are not properly followed
Fix: minimized it by developing selection procedures that will ensure randomness and by developing quality control checks to make sure that these procedures are followed in the field
Measurement Error
occurs when there is variation between the information being sought (true value) and the information actually obtained by the measurement process
Surrogate Information Error
occurs when there is a discrepancy btwn the information actually required to solve a problem and the info being sought by the researcher
Fix: paying more careful attention to specification of the types of information required to fulfill the objectives of the research
Interviewer Error / Interviewer Bias
results from the interviewer’s influencing a respondent–consciously or unconsciously–to give untrue or inaccurate answers; caused by the selection/training of interviewers to follow instructions
Fix: careful interviewer selection and training; in addition, quality control checks should involve unobtrusive monitoring of interviewers to ascertain whether they are following prescribed guidelines
Measurement Instrument Bias (questionnaire bias)
results from problems with measurement instrument or questionnaire
Fix: careful questionnaire design and pretesting
Input error
results from the incorrect input of information into a computer file or database
Fix: use software checks to find illogical response patterns or improperly scanned machine-scored questionnaires
Nonresponse Bias
error that results from a systematic difference between those who do and those who do not respond to a measurement instrument
Fix: doing everything possible to encourage those chosen for the sample to respond (ie. shortening the questionnaire, making it more respondent friendly, providing incentives, etc. )
Response Bias
results from the tendency of ppl to answer a question incorrectly through either deliberate falsification or unconscious misrepresentation
Fix: paying special attention to questionnaire design, in particular questions that are hard to answer, might make the respondent look uninformed, or deal with sensitive issues should be modified
What are the 6 types of surveys?
- door to door interviews
- executive interviews
- mall-intercept interviews
- telephone interviews
- self-administered questionnaires
- mail surveys
Door-to-door interviews
interviews conducted face-to-face with consumers in their homes
Executive interviews
industrial equivalent of door-to-door interviewing
Mall intercept interviews
interviews conducted by intercepting mall shoppers (or shoppers in other high traffic locations) and interviewing them fact to face
Telephone interviews/ call center telephone interviews & computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI)
interviews conducted by calling respondents from a centrally located marketing research facility; call center telephone interviews in which interviewers enter respondents’ answers directly into a computer
Self-Administered Questionnaires
Questionnaires filled out by respondents with no interviewer present
Mail Surveys
ad hoc- questionnaires sent to selected names and addresses without prior contact by the researcher; sometimes called one-shot mail surveys; mail panels- pre-contacted and prescreened participants who are periodically sent questionnaires
Factors that Determine the Selection of a Particular Survey Method
Sampling precision
Budget
Need to expose respondent to various stimuli & have respondent perform specialized tasks
Quality of data required
Length of Questionnaire
Incidence Rate
Degree of Structure of Questionnaire
Time available to complete survey
Sampling precision
If the need for accuracy in the study results is not great, less rigorous and less expensive sampling procedures may be appropriate
Budget
It is imp. to determine how accurate the results of the study need to be
Need to expose respondent to various stimuli & have respondent perform specialized tasks
Taste tests and prototype usage tests usually require face-to-face contact. Card sorts, certain visual scaling methods, and the like require either face-to-face contact or the Internet
Quality of data required
It is imp. to determine how accurate the results of the study need to be
Length of questionnaire
Long questionnaires are difficult to do by mail, over the phone, or in a mail
Incidence Rate
Are you looking for ppl who make up 1 percent of the total population or 50 % of the population? If you are looking for a needle in a haystack, you need an inexpensive way to find it. The internet is probably the best source
Degree of Structure of Questionnaire
Highly unstructured questionnaires, such as IDI, may require data collection by personal interview
Time available to complete survey
There might not be to wait for responses via snail-mail. The internet is the fastest way to go
S/W of mall-intercept interview
S: interviewer can show, explain, and probe
W: many distractions are inherent in the mall environ., the respondent may be in a hurry, not in frame of mind to answer questions; there is more chance for interviewer bias; nonprobability sampling problems arise
S/W of call center telephone interview
S: supervisor can monitor the interviewing process easily; excellent samples can be obtained; interviewer can explain and probe
W: Respondent may be distracted by things going on at their location; problems arise in long interviews and interviews with many open-ended questions. Many refuse to participate
S/W of Self-administered questionnaire
S: interviewer and associated biases are eliminated; respondent can complete the questionnaire when convenient; respondent can look up information and work at own pace
W: there is no interviewer to show, explain, or probe; sample may or may poor because of nonresponse; who actually completes the questionnaire cannot be controlled
S/W of Mail Survey
S: same strengths as for self-administered method
W: Same weaknesses as for self-administered questionnaire; sample quality is better with mail panel
