1. Background to PEAS project Gillian Raab Professor of Applied Statistics Napier University

2. ESRC research methods programme foster work that directly enhances methodological knowledge or improves and advances quantitative and qualitative methods; encourage and support the dissemination of good practice, including the enhancement of training programmes and training materials for the research community; http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/methods/

3. UK expertise in surveys Universities have less than in NA or Europe Most of it lies in survey organisations The ESRC makes lots of data available via their survey archive But there is limited expertise in universities on the best ways of analysing this Government departments are also major users of these national survey data sets

4. Survey design and analysis Big surveys are usually complicated The design is intended to enable the survey to get accurate and precise results The survey design ought to be reflected in the analysis Usual statistical methods (e.g. t-tests, chi squared tests) don’t allow for this But there are statistical methods which can Developed 1950s to the present

5. PEAS project I was not analysing surveys properly Started to try to improve while doing some contract work Got good advice from Susan Purdon Found that survey software was beginning to become more generally available but was hard to use Applied to the ESRC with Susan to get funding to provide web based training material Joined by Kathy Buckner for web and HCI expertise Now ably assisted by Iona Waterston, web designer

6. PEAS aims to develop a web-based resource which will take the survey analyst through exemplars of the use of different methods that are currently available for the analysis of complex surveys to hold a series of workshops aimed at researchers who analyse survey data. The web site will also contain a guide to survey design and analysis

7. Design/analysis links Set up and run the survey and get data Analyse the results Decide on a design Evaluate their bias and precision

8. Workshop 1 aims For us to get a first impression of how people will use the material on the web site To find out what people might like to find on the web site To get feedback on the design and navigation aspects of the site We are still very much under development, so not everything will work yet To give the participants some information about survey design and analysis