1. Chapter 12
Survey Research

2. Survey Research
Nonexperimental method using interviews or questionnaires to assess attitudes, activities, opinions, or beliefs
Surveys often used to assess changes in attitudes over time, to test theoretical models, and to describe and predict behavior (i.e., political polls; Marketing Surveys).

3. Survey Research (cont'd)
To insure high external validity random samples should be used.

4. Steps in Conducting Survey Research
Plan and design the survey
Construct and refine the survey instrument
Collect the survey data
Enter and “clean” the data
Analyze & interpret the data

5. Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Designs
Cross-sectional studies involve collecting data in a single, brief time period
Longitudinal studies involve collecting data at more than one point in time
panel studies – type of longitudinal design in which the same individuals are surveyed multiple times over time
trend study – same survey questions are asked of different samples over time (Real Clear Politics)

6. Methods of Data Collection
Face-to-face or personal interview
advantages include ability to clear up ambiguities and higher completion rate
disadvantage - expense
Telephone interview
less expensive than face to face and comparable data

7. Methods of Data Collection (cont'd)
Mail questionnaires
low cost but low return rate
Group-administered questionnaire

8. Methods of Data Collection (cont'd)
Electronic survey
& Web-based
advantages of electronic surveys
cost
instant access to wide audience
download to spreadsheet
flexible in layout—especially web-based survey

9. Methods of Data Collection (cont'd)
Electronic survey
disadvantages of electronic surveys
privacy and anonymity
sample may not be representative of population

10. Constructing and Refining a Survey Instrument
Principle 1.
Write Items to Match the Research Objectives
conduct literature review
(don’t always need to reinvent the wheel)
write items that will yield reliable and valid data
(may have to construct your own measurement).

11. Write Items That Are Appropriate for the Respondents to be Surveyed
Principle 2.
Write Items That Are Appropriate for the Respondents to be Surveyed
use easy-to-understand language based on reading level, culture etc.
Principle 3. Write Short, Simple Questions

12. Avoid Loaded or Leading Questions
Principle 4.
Avoid Loaded or Leading Questions
a loaded term is one that produced an emotional response

13. a leading question suggests to the respondent how they should respond
When forty people were asked about headaches. Those who were asked 'Do you get headaches frequently and, if so, how often?' reported an average of 2.2 headaches per week, whereas those who were asked 'Do you get headaches occasionally and, if so, how often?' reported only 0.7 per week (Loftus, 1975).

14. Avoid Double-Barreled Questions
Principle 5.
Avoid Double-Barreled Questions
double-barreled questions ask two or more things in a single question
“Have you stopped beating your wife yet.”
“ 95% of respondents said “Current Gun laws need to be changed”.

15. Principle 6. Avoid Double Negatives I don’t have no time
Principle 6. Avoid Double Negatives I don’t have no time. - avoid negatives if you can!

16. Principle 7. Determine Whether Closed-Ended or Open-Ended Questions are Needed
open-ended better if researcher is unsure what respondent is thinking or variable is ill-defined
closed-ended are easier to code and provide more standardized data

17. Construct Mutually Exclusive and Exhaustive Categories
Principle 8.
Construct Mutually Exclusive and Exhaustive Categories
mutually exclusive means that the categories do not overlap
exhaustive items include all possible responses

18. Consider the Different Types of Closed-Ended Response Categories
Principle 9.
Consider the Different Types of Closed-Ended Response Categories
rating scales
multichotomous (more than two choices) usually preferred
ability to measure direction and strength of attitude
distance between each descriptor should be the same

19. Anchors - descriptors places on points on a rating scale.

20. Should Current Gun control Law be changed?
Yes  No (binary forced choice)
Please rate agreement with the statements according to rating scale.
Current Gun Control laws should be:
Greatly Kept the Greatly
Strengthened Same Lessened

21. Consider the Different Types of Closed-Ended Response Categories
Principle 9
Consider the Different Types of Closed-Ended Response Categories
binary forced choice
participant chooses one of pair of attitudes
typically not recommended

22. Rankings (forces comparisons between options)
- not interval scale.
Checklists ( allows for more than one answer)

23. Principle 10.
Use Multiple Items to Measure Complex or Abstract Constructs
semantic differential – scaling method in which participants rate an object on a series of bipolar rating scales.

24. Likert scaling (summated Rating Scale)
Likert scaling (summated Rating Scale). Characteristics of a Likert scale: The scale contains several items. Response levels are arranged horizontally. Response levels are anchored with consecutive integers. Response levels are also anchored with verbal labels which connote more-or-less evenly-spaced gradations. Verbal labels are bivalent and symmetrical about a neutral middle Always measures attitude in terms of level of agreement/disagreement to a target statement.

25. Make Sure the Questionnaire is Easy to Use From Beginning to End
Principle 11.
Make Sure the Questionnaire is Easy to Use From Beginning to End
ordering of questions
positive and interesting questions first
demographic questions last
limit the number of contingency questions (If yes, go to)
questionnaire length

26. Response bias
social desirability bias occurs when participants respond In a way to make themselves look good
reduce by insuring anonymity
Include a measure of social desirability
response set – tendency to respond in a specific way
use even number of response categories on rating scale
include multiple question types

27. response bias response set – tendency to respond in a specific way
use even number of response categories on rating scale
include multiple question types

28. Principle 12.
Pilot Test the Questionnaire until it is perfected
Other Terms in Chapter 12
Population vs. Sample
Convenience sampling
Random sapling
Sampling error
Simple Random Samples vs. Representative Samples