Creating and Analyzing a Survey 101 Presented by Jennifer Jones

1. Creating and Analyzing a Survey 101 Presented by Jennifer Jones

2. Steps of the Survey 1. Every study starts with a Research Objective or Question. • What do you want to learn? • What action do you want to take with your results? • Every step should have the end result in mind 2. Decide who we need to ask 3. Decide how to ask questions 4. Create questions 5. Test questions 6. Ask Questions 7. Prepare Data 8. Analyze Data 9. Report Data

3. The “truth” - You want to find it!!

4. 2. Define your population and sample • The population is the entire group you are interested in • We can’t talk to everyone, so we take a sample that represents the population.

5. 3. Decide how to field questions • There are four different ways to collect data – called the “Mode”

6. 4. Create questions • It is impossible to get good data from bad questions! • What was your research objective? • Questions should be fun and easy to answer • Provide instructions and confidentiality statement at the beginning • Keep the questions short and easy to read • Use response options that make sense and fit everyone • Ask one question at a time • Ask questions that avoid biasing the respondent • Use open ended questions sparingly

7. What is one thing you would change about your latest visit to Henry Doorly Zoo? (open ended, asked only of those who said they visited in the last 12 months)? All other responses accounted for <1%

8. GOOD vs. BAD • What subject do you enjoy most at school? • Math • English • History • Football practice • Of the following subjects, which do you enjoy most? • Math • English • History • Science • None of the above

9. GOOD vs. BAD • How much time do you spend doing homework? • 60 minutes • 2-3 hours • 3-5 hours • more than 4 hours • In an average day, how many hours do you spend doing homework? • Zero hours • Up to 2 hours • 2 - 4 hours • More than 4 hours

10. GOOD vs. BAD • Do you think that the new cafeteria lunch menu offers a better variety of health foods than the old one? a. Yes b. No • How do you feel about the new cafeteria lunch menu compared to the old one? • The new menu offers a better variety of healthy foods • The old menu offers a better variety of healthy foods • The selections are similar

11. GOOD vs. BAD • How have teachers and students at your school responded to the new 45-minute lunch period? a. Satissfied b. Dissatisfied • How have teachers responded to the new 45 minute lunch period? • Satisfied • Dissatisfied • How have students responded to the new 45 minute lunch period? • Satisfied • Dissatisfied

12. GOOD vs. BAD • How satisfied are you with the student council? • Very Unsatisfied • Somewhat Satisfied • Extremely Satisfied • How satisfied are you with the student council? • Very Dissatisfied • Somewhat Dissatisfied • Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied • Somewhat Satisfied • Very Satisfied

13. GOOD vs. BAD • Some people believe that gases emitted/released by motor vehicles, factories, and electrical power plants contribute to global warming. Richer countries have been emitting these gases for many years; however, emissions of these gases are growing more quickly in poorer countries with fast growing economies. There is debate about if and when poorer countries should be required to reduce emissions of these gases. Do you think that poorer countries should • Be required to reduce emissions immediately, along with richer countries • Be required to reduce emissions only after richer countries act first c. Not be required to reduce emissions d. Or, No countries should be required to reduce emissions.

14. Create the Questionnaire • Layout your questions in a logical order that is easy to read • Example Layout • Thank you for agreeing to participate in our study about _______. Your answers will be kept confidential. • Short, easy, introductory questions are first • Questions become more in-depth as survey progresses. Difficult or sensitive questions at the end. • Demographics at the end (age, gender, etc).

15. 5. Test questions • Always, Always, Always test your questions!! • Find 5-10 guinea pigs to try your questions out on. • Were any of the questions confusing? • Were any of them hard to answer? • Was it fun and easy to answer?

16. 6. Field Questions • The way that questions are asked should be standardized as much as possible • Interviewers should read questions verbatim • Every respondent should have a similar experience and should have a positive experience

17. 7. Prepare Data • Assign codes to all responses Yes = 1 Male = 1 No = 2 Female = 2 • Enter into computer • “Clean” the data (in other words look for errors)

18. 8. Analyze Data 9. Report Data • Describe your sample • How many respondents? • What are the demographics? • Calculate means or percentages for each question • Decide what is significant or interesting • Report your findings

19. Review your results – do they make sense? Overall, how satisfied were you with your most recent visit to Henry Doorly Zoo? 1 – Extremely Satisfied 2 3 4 5 – Extremely Dissatisfied I have the computer calculate mean and it comes back as 0.6. What is the problem?

20. What is one thing you would change about your latest visit to Henry Doorly Zoo? (open ended, asked only of those who said they visited in the last 12 months)? All other responses accounted for <1%

21. What is one thing you would change about your latest visit to Henry Doorly Zoo? • Generation Y are most likely to say they would change: the cost = 41.8% • Generation X are most likely to say they would change: the parking = 24.5% • Boomers are most likely to say they would change: nothing = 19.6%; the amount of hills = 10% • Traditionalists are most likely to say they would change: nothing = 49.2%; improving the animals environment = 9.4%.

22. Creating and Analyzing a Survey 101 Presented by Jennifer Jones