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Survey Research Chapter 17: How To Design And Evaluate Research In Education. James Blackwood AED 615 – Fall Semester 2006. Survey Research Topics. What Is A Survey? Why Are Surveys Conducted? Types of Surveys Correlational Research Steps In Survey Research Nonresponse
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Survey ResearchChapter 17: How To Design And Evaluate Research In Education James Blackwood AED 615 – Fall Semester 2006
Survey Research Topics • What Is A Survey? • Why Are Surveys Conducted? • Types of Surveys • Correlational Research • Steps In Survey Research • Nonresponse • Problems With The Instrument • Evaluating Threats To Internal Validity • Data Analysis • Journal Article Employing Survey Research
What Is A Survey • Gathering of a sample of data or opinions considered to be representative of a whole group or population. • Information is collected primarily by asking questions. • Information is collected from a sample (or portion) of a population.
Why Are Surveys Conducted? • Surveys are primarily used to describe characteristics of a population. • Researchers use surveys to examine the distribution of the identified characteristics within the population. • The description of the population as a whole is inferred by the results obtained from the sample.
Useful Surveys (Arlene Fink, 1995) • Specific, measurable objectives • Sound research design • Sound choice of population or sample • Reliable and valid • Appropriate analysis • Accurate reporting of results
Types of Surveys There are two major types of surveys.. Cross-Sectional Surveys & Longitudinal Surveys
Cross-Sectional Surveys • Information collected from a sample of a predetermined population • Information is collected at approximately one point in time • If an entire population is surveyed, it is described as being a census (Like the US Census that is conducted every 10 years).
Longitudinal Surveys Information is collected at different points in time to study changes that occur over a time period • Trend Study – samples a population whose members may change over the course of the study • Cohort Study - samples a population whose members do not change over the course of the study • Panel Study – survey the same sample of a population at different times during the course of the study
Correlational Research Correlation of the results of two separate surveys to determine if a relationship exists Scores or results of surveys are examined in this method by calculating correlation coefficients or by preparing contingency tables
Steps In Survey Research • Define the problem • Identify the population • Choose the type of instrument to collect the data • Design, construct, pilot and refine the instrument • Select a representative sample • Administer the survey • Analyze, interpret, and communicate your findings
Nonresponse Nonresponse refers to members of a sample who do not respond to the instrument Total Nonresponse – not responding to the entire survey/instrument Item Nonresponse – not responding to some of the questions within a survey/instrument
Reducing Nonresponse Examples of methods to reduce nonresponse… • Pretesting an instrument • Training interviewers • Providing incentives for participation Contacting non-respondents using with an alternate form of the instrument used for testing for nonresponse error
Problems With The Instrument • Many issues can affect the validity of an instrument • Venue/Time (location or time that the instrument is presented) • Question preparation (leading questions) • External issues • Characteristics of the data collector
Evaluating Threats To Internal Validity • Four main threats to internal validity • Mortailty – removing data from lost members of a study • Location threat – data collection in locations that would affect responses • Instrumentation – defects in the instrument itself • Instrument decay – interviewers get tired or are rushed
Data Analysis • Summarize responses to draw conclusions from the results • Size of sample & percentage of returns reported • Percentage of total sample responding for each item reported • Percentage of respondents who chose each alternative for each question reported
Journal ArticleExample of Survey Research Public Perception of Extension (1996) – JOE 34(4) Paul D. Warner , James A. Christenson, Don A. Dillman, & Priscilla Salant This article addressed the issues of how people's perception/awareness and use of Extension changed over a 13-year period. Telephone surveys of the U.S. population in 1982 and again in 1995 were utilized as the instrument in this study.