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Block 2 Unit 1 Survey Research

1. Discuss the steps involved in survey research

Determination of aims and objectives, survey design, sample selection, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, report preparation, and communication of the findings

2. Describe the different methods or techniques of the survey research method.

Methods include questionnaires (mail, group-administered, household drop-off), and interviews (structured, unstructured, semi-structured).

3. Explain the different types of conducting survey research.

Types include cross-sectional, longitudinal (panel, trend, cohort).

4. What are the different types of questions that can be designed for a survey instrument?

Structured questions (dichotomous, level of measurement based, filter or contingency) and unstructured questions.

5. Explain the different types of interviews that can be used for conducting a survey research.

Interviews can be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured. Structured interviews use pre-set questions, while unstructured interviews are more flexible. Semi-structured interviews combine elements of both.

6. Explain the different issues of survey research method

The survey research method, while useful, has several issues that researchers should be aware of. These issues can be broadly categorised into problems with selecting the type of survey, constructing the survey, bias, and administration.

Issues in Selecting the Type of Survey

• Researchers must select a type of survey suitable for their study. They need to consider the population to be studied, ensuring they are comfortable with the language used by the selected population.
• Geographical factors can also impact the type of survey that is most appropriate.

Issues in Constructing the Survey

• Researchers must have a full understanding of the types of questions appropriate for the survey.
• The clarity and specificity of the questions is important, as is the length of the survey instrument.
• The content, scope, and objectives of the questions must be decided.
• The most convenient format of response needs to be selected, such as Likert scales or multiple-choice questions.
• Questions should be framed to elicit the required response, and the series of questions should be formatted to create the best conditions for the survey.
• Researchers need to be sensitive and aware of the moral and ethical values of respondents.

Bias Issues

• The researcher's biases and prejudices can significantly influence the findings of survey research. Researchers need to be aware of how their biases might affect the survey.
• Researchers must avoid false reporting and ensure their behaviour is socially acceptable.

Administrative Issues

• The cost, mode of survey, feasibility of the area, and required time period are important aspects that need to be pre-planned before beginning the research.
• Researchers need to consider if the survey is to be a group-administered questionnaire, a mail survey, or a household drop-off survey, as each has different implications for the process.
• Telephone interviews can save time and money but limit the sample to those with access to telephones.

Other issues

• Maintaining the privacy of responses under a group interview is difficult, which may restrict the honesty of answers.
• High attrition rates of respondents can hinder longitudinal studies.

These difficulties can affect the validity of a survey and, therefore, need to be carefully considered by researchers.

Important Points

1. In a survey research, the researcher collects data with help of standardised questionnaires or interviews
2. On the basis of the analysis and interpretation of the results, the researcher prepares report of the over all research conducted
3. The population or universe can be defined as a collection of people or objects which possesses at least one common characteristic
4. Pilot study can be defined as a small scale preliminary study conducted before the main research to test the feasibility, time, cost and other aspects of the research plan.
5. The panel study is used in order to investigate the changes in attitudes, behaviour or practices of the same sample within a period of time.
6. There are different types of longitudinal studies.
7. Interviews are said to be structured when the researcher asks preplanned questions.
8. A sample should be a representation of the population.
9. A question is said to be dichotomous one if it has two responses
10. In the process of conducting a survey research, the researcher needs to design framework of the instruments and processes of data collection
11. A question based on the ordinal level of measurement will be based on the preference or choice of the respondent
12. The researchers’ biasness and prejudices might have a significant influence on the results of the survey research.
13. High attrition rate of the respondents might undermine the longitudinal based studies.
14. The researcher should have full empathy with the respondents.
15. The basic administrative issues are the cost, time and availability of the resources etc.