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Descriptive Research

Descriptive Research. Survey Research Methods Public opinion polls Census surveys Developmental Surveys. Public opinion polls. Gallup polls Political elections network news pre-election polls exit polls. U.S. Census survey. Conducted every 10 years in the U.S. since 1790.

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Descriptive Research

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  1. Descriptive Research Survey Research Methods Public opinion polls Census surveys Developmental Surveys

  2. Public opinion polls • Gallup polls • Political elections • network news pre-election polls • exit polls

  3. U.S. Census survey • Conducted every 10 years in the U.S. since 1790. • Attempts to survey every US citizen, rather than using statistical sampling.

  4. Developmental Surveys • Cross-Sectional • compares two or more age groups or cohorts • Longitudinal • Trend studies • Cohort studies • Panel studies • Follow-up studies

  5. Cross-sectional surveys • Advantages • quick and easy to do; • saves time and money • easy age group comparisons • Disadvantages • masks individual differences on DVs; • age changes confounded with age differences.

  6. Cross-Sectional Designs Date of study: 2001 COHORT AGE at time of study 1981 20 (young adult) 1961 40 (middle age) 1941 60 (older adult) 1921 80 (oldest adult)

  7. Examples of Longitudinal Surveys • TREND • National Assessment of Educational Progress • COHORT • National Longitudinal Survey of High School Class of 1972 • High School and Beyond Survey (1980) • PANEL • Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning (LSAL)

  8. Examples of Longitudinal Surveys • FOLLOW-UP • “Wisconsin Adult Reading Project” (1987) • Participants from 1949 and 1954 were re-tested in 1987.

  9. Longitudinal Design Date when study begins: 2001 Cohort: Born in 1981 Researcher status: Survey in 2001 (age 20) Untenured Asst. Prof. Survey in 2021 (age 40) Full Professor Survey in 2041 (age 60) Retired/dead?

  10. Basic procedures in survey research: • Plan the study • Design the survey instrument • Obtain a sample • Carry out the survey • Analyze data and interpret results • Report the survey results

  11. Response rates for mailed surveys • Initial mailing: 48% • First follow-up: 68% • Second follow-up: 80% • Third (final) follow-up: 90% • Costs increase with each mailing!

  12. Survey research example Okagaki & Frensch (1998): Parenting and childrens’ school achievement: A multiethnic perspective.

  13. Five aspects of parenting • Parent expectations for child’s educational attainment • Grade expectations • Child-rearing beliefs • Self-reported parenting behaviors • Perceptions of parental efficacy

  14. Research Questions • Are there differences in school performance and parental beliefs across ethnic groups? • Are there aspects of parenting that are related to school achievement within each ethnic group? • Are the relations between parenting and child outcomes different across groups?

  15. Method • Surveyed 670 parents; 347 surveys returned (52% return rate) • Focused only on sub-sample of 275 Asian-American, Latino, and white parents • Survey questionnaire: • Educational attainment • Grade expectations • Child-rearing beliefs • Parental behaviors • Parental efficacy beliefs • Perceptions of child’s ability

  16. Let’s discuss the results!

  17. Some limitations • No African-American parents in the study • No observations of parents’ behaviors • Study shows that parenting beliefs and behaviors are related to, but do not cause, educational achievement

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