WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO FIND OUTOften there is the temptation to skip on preparation in order to move to the field too rapidly. This temptation should be avoided.
Ghislaine Delaine
“The Social Dimensions of
Adjustment Integrated Survey”
INFORMATION WANTED:
What information needs to be obtained to meet the objectives of the survey
Strategize with stakeholders Questions that need to be answered Focus groups Has the information been gathered in the past What are the outcomes desired Will basic demographical data be required/confidential How will the information be obtained?
Electronic survey Mail Telephone Interview Personal Interview Paper
INFORMATION WANTED: CONTINUED
Determine what correlations of the data you want to see.
What will the answers to the questions allow you to determine
If X then Y
WHO YOU ASKOne common misconception is that the adequacy of a sample depends heavily on the fraction of the population included in a sample.
Floyd J. Fowler
Survey Research Methods
CHOOSING THE POPULATION
All or representative sample http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm Is a comparative sample needed Response rate
# of responses/ # surveyed
If survey needs to reflect the entire student body population of HSU, complete a survey request form at http://www.humboldt.edu/irp/survey.html
HOW YOU ASK THE QUESTION“The goal is to have differences in answers reflect differences in where people stand on the issues, rather than differences on their interpretations of the questions.”
Floyd Fowler,
Improving Survey Questionnaires:
Design and Evaluation
BASICS
Be aware of your own biases Use language that survey participants will
understand Develop neutral questions Ask enough to cover topic adequately while
keeping the survey as short as possible Pay attention to the order of questions Provide exhaustive range of response
categories Write clear unbiased instructions
BASICS - CONTINUED
Order Matters Start with easy - proceed to complex Keep respondents interested Vary the question type
Simple is better Avoid technical jargons or concepts Use the same definitions and scales throughout the
form Watch for “double-barreled” questions Be specific
SPECIFICS
Multiple Choice Lists
Should be exhaustive while not being too long Categories should be mutually exclusive Allow respondents to provide multiple answers when
relevant When appropriate – use Other
Scales Odd or Even Likert or Numeric Provide clear, concise instructions on scale meaning Order matters – Positive to Negative vs Negative to
Positive Use the same scale throughout the survey
SPECIFICS - CONTINUED
Open-Ended Allows for spontaneous responses Use when you don’t know the answer Analyzing the responses can be difficult and time-
consuming
Question Logic Will all participants answer all questions?
HOW AND WHEN TO ASK“The questionnaire is only one element of a well-done survey.”
Don A. Dillman
Mail and Internet Surveys
– The Tailored Design Method
BEFORE YOU SURVEY
Design your communication to participants Personal or authoritarian Confidentiality? Explain the nature and reasons for the survey How it benefits them Include timeframe to answer survey
BEFORE YOU SURVEY - CONTINUED
TEST Pilot the survey with colleagues or a small sample of
the population Include all communications they will receive with the
survey instrument Helps ensures the reliability and the validity of your
survey For electronic surveys check for the flow of logic
questions
TRAIN (If survey is to be administered via telephone or personal interviewer)
All interviewers need to conduct the survey in the same manner, using the same language
Design response sheets that include instructions to interviewers
INCREASING RESPONSE RATES“Sending questionnaires out is one thing; getting them back is quite another.”
Bill Gillham
Developing a Questionnaire
TIMING MATTERS
What are your target population’s habits Ask again but don’t ask too often Choose a different time to ask for each
additional request
COMMUNICATION
Say please and thank you for your help Show positive regard – provide the reasons
for the survey and what the results will achieve
Asking for advice – “We need your input on this matter.”
Subject line of email – does it look like spam Does it need to come from an authoritative
source or a personal approach
FREE OR NOT
Software Survey Monkey Zoomerang Surveygizmo And many more
Design help Library – reference section “Survey Kit” , ebooks and
books on survey design IRP website has some links to reference material