Survey Research Unit 6

Question 1

Survey research is one method in what type of research?

Answer 1

Correlational research

Question 2

Survey research are used to describe what?

Answer 2

People’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors, opinions, attitudes, and preferences.

Question 3

Surveys have several characteristics

Answer 3

1. Involves sampling
2. Involve self-reporting of behaviors, attitudes, opinions, feelings and preferences
3. All respondents answer the same set of predetermined questions to allow for comparison

Question 4

What does sampling involve?

Answer 4

• Selecting a sample from the population BUT first, he must develop sampling frame (specific list of individuals in the population)

Question 5

2 basic approaches to sampling

Answer 5

1. Probability sampling - probability of each element being included in the sample can be computed
2. Non-probability sampling - there is no guarantee that an element has a chance of being included in the sample

Question 6

4 types of probability sampling

Answer 6

1. Simple random - every element has an equal chance of being included (group taken from population everyone has equal chance)
2. Systematic sampling - (taking every 5th person from a list) probability but not a random sample
3. Random sampling - every person as equal chance of being selected
4. Cluster sampling - more efficient sampling method when population is difficult to obtain. Group selected by using clusters or groupings from a larger population.

Question 7

What is multistage sampling

Answer 7

sampling done in a hierarchical manner

Question 8

1 type of non-probability sampling

Answer 8

Convenience sampling - bias sampling

Question 9

Survey administration is comprised in 4 common medthods

Answer 9

1. Written (mail questionnaires)
2. Face to face (personal interviews)
3. Telephone
4. Computerized (internet)

Question 10

Advantages and disadvantages of MAIL

Answer 10

A: low cost, no interviewer bias, best for personal topics

DA: little control over order of questions answered, response bias

Question 11

Advantages and disadvantages of FACE TO FACE

Answer 11

A: Interviewer can motivate interviewees, clarify questions, monitor order of questions answered, higher response or return rate

DA: Interviewer bias, much more expansive than mail or telephone surverys

Question 12

Advantages and disadvantages of TELEPHONE

Answer 12

A: Easier access to respondents, quick completion, low cost, tighter supervision of interviewers

DA: Possible selection bias, short straightforward surveys, option to screen calls, impossible to use visual aids

Question 13

Advantages and disadvantages of INTERNET

Answer 13

A: Efficient, low cost and speedy, potential to reach a lot of respondents

DA: Response bias, selection bias, can’t control how the survey is completed

Question 14

6 steps to developing questionnaires

Answer 14

1. decide what information is required
2. decide what type of questionnaires will be used
3. draft and then revise
4. pre-test the questionnaire
5. edit the questionnaire
6. specify the procedures for its use

Question 15

2 types of survey questions

Answer 15

1. Open ended

2. Closed ended

Question 16

Advantages and disadvantages to OPEN ENDED

Answer 16

A: More complete answers, more likely to discover something unexpected by researcher, better for small scale studies

DA: More difficult to record and score responses, requires more effort from respondents, difficult for less articulate respondents to answer

Question 17

Advantages and disadvantages for CLOSED ENDED

Answer 17

A: Easier to code and analyze, requires less effort from respondents - no need to articulate answers, better for large scale studies

DA: Reduces expressiveness and spontaneity, respondents may have to choose a less than-preferred response because there’s no alternative answers, more difficult to discover errors in coding or misinterpretation of questions

Question 18

What are characteristics of questionnaires

Answer 18

• should be written in a language familiar to respondents
• clear and specific, define the terms and context clearly
• avoid any leading, loaded, or double-barrelled questions
• be as concise as possible
• all conditional information must be presented prior to the key idea

Question 19

Ethical issues in a questionnaire

Answer 19

1. Anonymity (anonymous)
2. Confidentiality (for when information is not anonymous, must maintain confidentiality)
3. Informed consent (must be told that their participation is voluntary)

Question 20

Distinguish between population, sample frame, sample, and element

Answer 20

Population - all individuals of interest to researcher
Sample - a group of people from population
Sample frame - before choosing a sample, must create a sample frame: specific list of people in the population
Element - each individual that falls in that sample frame

Question 21

What is acquiescence?

Answer 21

Tendency to agree with a statement regardless of its content

Question 22

What are 2 limitations to survey research

Answer 22

1. low return rates

2. social desirability

Question 23

What is a double-barrel question?

Answer 23

When someone agrees with one part of the question, but not the other

Question 24

Make alternatives clear

Answer 24

1. mutually exclusive - one rules out the other

2. exhaustive -

Question 25

Likert scales

Answer 25

question that asks for a rating of extent of agreement (agree or disagree on a scale of 1 to 10)

Question 26

Branching items

Answer 26

a set of questions that enable the respondent to move through a survey in different ways, depending upon the responses

Question 27

Stratified random sample

Answer 27

Stratified random sampling essentially treats the population as two or more separate subpopulations and creates a separate random sample of each