SurveySurveyResearchResearch

Survey ResearchSurvey Research

Structured interview of:Structured interview of:Sample of individuals in order Sample of individuals in order

to generalize to a larger to generalize to a larger populationpopulation

Survey modes:Survey modes: Face-to-faceFace-to-face Paper-and-pencilPaper-and-pencil RDD telephoneRDD telephone Direct mailDirect mail InternetInternet

Advantages & Advantages & DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Generalizability - external validityGeneralizability - external validity Representativeness - unbiased sampleRepresentativeness - unbiased sample Customizability - wide variety of research Customizability - wide variety of research

questionsquestions

Time - 6 months from start to finishTime - 6 months from start to finish Cost - Face-to-face vs. Telephone vs. MailCost - Face-to-face vs. Telephone vs. Mail Hard to find facilities and expertsHard to find facilities and experts Causality - Non-experimental designCausality - Non-experimental design

MisconceptionsMisconceptions

Single time-point >>> Longitudinal, Panel DesignsSingle time-point >>> Longitudinal, Panel Designs

Must be face-to-face >>> Can use telephone, mailMust be face-to-face >>> Can use telephone, mail

Interviewers read questions >>> Self-administeredInterviewers read questions >>> Self-administered

Individuals as unit of observation >>> FamilyIndividuals as unit of observation >>> Family

Non-experimental >>> Can embed experimentsNon-experimental >>> Can embed experiments

Atheoretical >>> Can test hypothesesAtheoretical >>> Can test hypotheses

Surveys are a very flexible research techniqueSurveys are a very flexible research technique

Reliability of Survey Reliability of Survey ResearchResearch

Stability:Stability: In panel designs, test-retest correlations of In panel designs, test-retest correlations of

same respondents’ answerssame respondents’ answers

Reproducibility: Reproducibility: Open-ended querstions:Open-ended querstions:

Agreement between codersAgreement between coders

Internal Consistency: Internal Consistency: In testing scales, the homogeneity of itemsIn testing scales, the homogeneity of items

Validity of Survey Validity of Survey ResearchResearch

Face:Face: Do items capture concepts?Do items capture concepts?

Content:Content: Are relevant dimensions represented by indicators?Are relevant dimensions represented by indicators?

Convergent:Convergent: Are multiple indicators correlated?Are multiple indicators correlated?

Divergent:Divergent: Do indicators allow us to differentiate from other Do indicators allow us to differentiate from other

concepts?concepts? Do indicators differentiate between distinct concept Do indicators differentiate between distinct concept

dimensions?dimensions?

Stages in Survey Stages in Survey ResearchResearch

General Research QuestionsGeneral Research Questions

Specific Research QuestionsSpecific Research Questions

Sampling DesignSampling Design

Questionnaire DevelopmentQuestionnaire Development

Interviewer TrainingInterviewer Training

PretestPretest

Fieldwork - TestFieldwork - Test

Content CodingContent Coding

Analysis ComputationAnalysis Computation

Report WritingReport Writing

Questionnaire Questionnaire ConstructionConstruction

Length:Length: :30 for telephone, longer for personal/self-:30 for telephone, longer for personal/self-

administeredadministered

Ordering: Ordering: Put an easy question first, funnel toward Put an easy question first, funnel toward

specificspecific Save sensitive question for the endSave sensitive question for the end

Transitions:Transitions: Ease them from one section to anotherEase them from one section to another

Probes:Probes: Further information, elaborationFurther information, elaboration

Training InterviewersTraining Interviewers

Two parts: Two parts: 1. Basic interviewing skills1. Basic interviewing skills 2. Specific interview schedule, questionnaire2. Specific interview schedule, questionnaire

Motivations and Motivations and BarriersBarriers

Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivations:Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivations: expression, boredom, loneliness, politeness, expression, boredom, loneliness, politeness,

curiosity, loyaltycuriosity, loyalty

Barriers: Barriers: Suspicion, fear, inadequacy, privacy, distractions, Suspicion, fear, inadequacy, privacy, distractions,

time to answer, etc.time to answer, etc.

Overcoming Barriers: Overcoming Barriers: confidentiality, listening, probing, repeating, focus, confidentiality, listening, probing, repeating, focus,

and practiceand practice