Transcript Surveys - Teesside University

Surveys
An overview
http://sst.tees.ac.uk/external/U0000504/Notes/
skills/surveys/srvcontents.html
Contents
 What
is a survey?
 Key points in survey design
 Questionnaire development
 Types of question
 Writing questions
What is a survey?

A survey is a method of gathering data about
events that are actually occurring 

In science surveys are most commonly found in



A “snapshot in time
Health
Food & Nutrition
There is probably scope for surveys in other areas.
Designing a survey
 What
are you trying to investigate?
 Is a survey the most appropriate?
 Who is the target population?
 How do you propose to administer the
survey?
 How do you propose to analyse the data?
Stages in designing a survey





Survey design is an iterative
process involving
 Pilot study
 Testing questions
 Modifying items
This may be repeated more than
once
These stages occupy most of
the time
Before finally issuing the
questionnaire
Finally the data is analysed and
the report written
D ecid e on in form ation
n eed ed
C arry ou t pilot stud y
D ecid e sam p le &
m eth od s
D esign Q u estion naire
C ond uct test su rvey
R eview Q u estionn aire
& sam p le
Issu e Q u estion naire
C od e an d A n alyse
D ata
W rite R ep ort
Designing a questionnaire
Design is important for useful data
 How will you analyse the data?




Qualitative
Quantitative
This will affect the types of question you use


Open - respondents can give their opinions, feelings
etc. in their own words.
Structured - range of responses is restricted.
Open questions
Wide range of views
 Richness of data
 Generally best suited to qualitative analysis


Has its own methods of verification.
Non-uniform responses
 Best suited to small scale or pilot surveys.
 Useful for developing fixed response items

Structured question
Constrained choice
 Involved standardised responses
 Best suited to quantitative analysis



May miss important issues



Usually using statistics
Add qualitative item(s)
“Are there any other points you would like to add?”
Suitable for large samples
Some practical issues

How many questions?



Layout



Well spaced, clearly laid out
Easy to follow
Length of questions


Too few - not enough data
Too many - goes in the bin!
Not too long - break into shorter questions
Pilot questionnaire helps resolve issues
Ethics
 Critical
to survey research.
 Should I be asking this?
Confidentiality
 Sensitive information
 Personal information
 Raising expectations?

 Anonymity
of respondents
 Data protection act.
Types of structured question
 List
 Category
 Quantity
 Ranking
 Scale
 Grid
List
 Which
of the following did you eat at your
last meal? Tick all that apply
Cooked vegetables
 Salad
 Boiled or mashed potatoes
 Roast potatoes
 Chips
 Jacket potatoes
 Fresh fruit

Category
 Please
indicate your age?
Less than 18
18 - 24
25 34
35 - 44
Etc.
Note: Questions of age are considered by some as
embarrassing (see below) and best asked as a category rather
than the direct question What is your age?
Quantity & Ranking

Quantity: How many times did you eat chips last
week?
Ranking: Place the following in the order of
importance, number 1 being the most important
 A well stocked library
 Well equipped laboratories
 Up to date computing facilities

Scale/Grid:
Stron
gly
agree
The laboratory classes in
this module were well
organised
There were sufficient
tutorials/seminars in this
module
The lectures in this
module were clearly
presented
Agree
Neither
agree
nor
disagree
Disagree
Stron
gly
disagree
Content issues
 Willing
to answer
 Knowledge of subject
 Cover full range of possible answers
 Use prompt cards in oral surveys
 Wording must be specific

Use simple, clear language
Beware!

Presumptions e.g.


Leading questions e.g.


You do think this is a poor module don’t you?
Double questions e.g.


do not assume all students are on full time courses
Do you go to aerobics and go jogging?
Embarrassing questions e.g.

What is your age?
In summary

Formulate a hypothesis


Pilot your survey



Open questionnaire to identify issues
Test and revise your questions
How will I analyse the data?



How does this question contribute?
Qualitative or quantitative?
Which statistical tests?
What are the ethical issues?
Exercise
Look at the questionnaire you will be given.
 Identify the faults in each question.
 Post your criticism of each question using the
blackboard form.
 Work in fours based on your tutorial groups.
 Improve the questionnaire.
 Submit your improved version using the digital
drop box.


A copy of the original to download and edit is provided.
The End
For now
http://sst.tees.ac.uk/external/U0000504/Notes/skill
s/surveys/srvcontents.html