Survey Research Flashcards
What is survey research?
- Data collection tool used to gather information from individuals
- Used across all research approaches
Experimental, correlational, qualitative - Typically, standardised measuring instruments
What it is and how it is administered is clear
Normative data is often available to provide comparison (normally from large standardised representation of population)
How are surveys typically presented?
As questionnaires or interviews
What are surveys often used to do to constructs?
Operationalise them
What can we use surveys to gather data on?
- Attitudes
- Behaviours
- Opinions
- Motivations
- Emotions
- Satisfaction
What type of data do surveys generate?
- Can be used to gather retrospective data (before COVID how frequently did you wash your hands), present data (now during COVID how often do you wash your hands) or future data (after COVID how often will you wash your hands?)
- Sometimes simply records demographic data (most surveys include demographic data
What are the two main purposes of surveys?
- information gathering
- theory testing and building
what types of information gathering is there?
Exploratory (explore a phenomena – doesn’t predict or explain why – what issues are present in a refugee population?)
Descriptive (describe – how many males and females are present in a population)
What types of theory testing and building are there?
Explanatory (explain something – do optimism and pessimism reflect states and traits)
Predictor (does the time a couple spend together before children predict relationship happiness later?)
What are the different types of surveys?
- Self-administered (questionnaires) Postal Online In person - Interview administered Telephone Face to face
When shouldn’t you develop questionairres?
If you don’t have to - you are better off using a pre-existing one or modelling it on a pre-existing one
When should you design a questionnaire?
- Design when:
No established tool exists to measure the phenomena of interest
When the reliability or validity of an established measure is in doubt
What are jangles and should you avoid them when developing a questionnaire?
Jangles are different labels for what are essentially the same thing. You should avoid them if you can
What should you do before widely administering your test?
- Piloting test on a small group of people before administering it more widely:
Administer to small sample
Identify problematic items and revise
Ask respondents for feedback
What are general design principles?
- Keep it short:
omit any questions which will not provide useful data
Don’t just have lots of data ‘just in case you need it’ - Make sure it’s readable:
your Ps must be able to understand the language used
Generally make it 8th grade level - Provide appropriate response options:
Avoid forcing your P to choose between more than one correct option, or not having any ‘correct’ options
What should the instructions be like in your survey?
- Clear instructions
- Standardised specific administration instructions
What should you consider with the order of your survey?
- Can be useful to divide a survey into sections blocked by topic or question type
- Screening – is the participant eligible
- Start with easy and engaging questions
- Use funnelling/branching questions if appropriate. E.g. Do you currently drive a car? If yes go to 14, if no go to 16
What are the demographics and how do they apply in a survey?
- Characteristics of the sample
- Typically contained in single section
- What could be included
Age
Gender (need to be aware it is non-binary)
Ethnic and/or racial background
Place of birth
Religion
Sexual orientation
Relationship status
Occupation or earnings - Only include relevant questions about demographics
What are open questions?
Ask questions and allow participants to respond however they allow
What are the pros of open questions?
Provide more detail
Rich data
Don’t impose assumptions
What are the cons of open questions?
Longer and more difficult to complete
Difficult to analyse responses (often subjective) – more difficult to standardise opinions
Respondents provide meaningless responses