Chapter 7: surveys

1. Chapter 7: surveys

2. Survey Research: The Hite Report • 84% of respondents are not satisfied emotionally with their relationships • 95% report "emotional and psychological harassment" from their men • 98% desire more communication • 13% of women married more than two years still "in love“ with husbands

3. The Hite Report • 1972 behavioral researcher, Shere Hite, conducted large study of female sexuality • Sample size = 4,500 women • Questionnaires distributed through many women's groups and other sources • NOW • Ms. Magazine • Village Voice • Church groups • Political organizations • Survey--127 essay questions

4. The Study • 100,000 surveys distributed • 4,500 returned • Response rate=4.5 %

5. problems • Response rate of 70 to 80% to generalize to population • Motivation of respondents? • What about the 95.5% who did not respond?

6. Survey research Structured way to collect standardized informationfrom individuals using a questionnaire. • Conducted once or at repeated intervals • Concurrently with multiple samples • From few people or many people

7. What do you think? Answer YES or NO to each of the following • A survey is always appropriate • Surveys are one of the most popular ways to collect information • An email or online survey is better than the old mail or telephone surveys • Careful planning is necessary • Advance notice to potential respondents helps increase response rate • A low response rate increases the likelihood of biased results

8. Check your answers • A survey is always appropriate - NO • Surveys are one of the most popular ways to collect information - YES • An email or online survey is better than the old mail or telephone surveys – NO, not necessarily • Careful planning is necessary - YES • Advance notice to potential respondents helps increase response rate - YES • A low response rate increases the likelihood of biased results - YES

9. 1. Surveys are appropriate… • To collect information from individuals(vs. a group or collective) • Want standardized information • Respondents can read and write

10. Surveys are used when… • Want information from many people • Privacy is important or independent opinions and responses are needed • Have resources to send, track, analyze and interpret questionnaires

11. Pros and cons of survey PROS • Collect information from many people • Anonymous • Standardized • Easy tabulation CONS • Results easily biased • Miss important information • Question and answer choices predetermined • Literacy skills

12. culturally appropriate? • Literacy level • Tradition of reading, writing • Setting • Translation • Sequence of questions • Pretesting questionnaire (Intrusive?) • Computer access and use of electronic survey

13. Types of surveys • Hand-out • Mail • Telephone • Face-to-face • Email • Web survey – Online survey • Mixed mode: uses two or more of above Use mix of modes to ensure everyone can and does respond

14. Response rate Proportion of people who respond: Example:If you distribute 50 questionnaires and get back 25, your response rate is 50%. # that answered = response rate # you contacted

15. low response rate ? • Determine how respondents differ from non-respondents • Describe results in terms of who did respond. • Don’t imply that results apply to anyone other than those who responded.

16. 2/27 increasing response rate Survey topic is interesting to respondents (saliency) Personalize communications related to survey KISS: Keep It Short and Simple Follow-up Trust, respect, like researchers

17. type of survey to choose? “It depends”… • What do you want to know • How complex or sensitive is information • Characteristics of respondents • Time line • Resources

18. type of survey to choose? • You determine survey is best and most appropriate way to collect information • Take time to plan the survey

19. Planning a survey 1. Who to involve in conducting survey - - engage them 2. What information to collect • Use of information? 3. Identify respondents • Sampling strategy 4. Select survey distribution: telephone, mail, hand-out, email, web-based 5. Data analysis – what will product/final report include

20. Survey planning continued… • Develop questionnaire • Pilot test questionnaire • Communication strategy to get support for survey • Budget, timeline, and management process • Available resources?

21. Constructing Survey Questions • Questions must be: • Screened • Tested • Revised • Until researcher has confidence they will be clear to respondents

22. Single questions • Closed-ended or fixed choicequestions offer respondents explicit responses from which to choose • Responses must be exhaustive (all respondents can find an appropriate response) • Responses must be exclusive (all respondents will find only one appropriate response) • The exceptions to these rules are “Check all that apply” question • When in doubt, use “Other, please explain

23. Open-ended questions • Open-ended questionslack response choices • Allow respondents to fill in own answers • Preferable when full range of responses cannot be anticipated • Allows clear answers when questions involve complex concepts

24. Indexes and Scales • Index: Composite measure based on sum or average of responses of several questions that measure same concept • Many pre-existing indexes exist • Such as the CES-D, commitment, dependency • These have been pretested and promote comparability ***Indexes are usually calculated by summing or averaging responses with each question counting equally

25. Index: Example • Four questions to measure job-related depression, each with the response choices of "yes" or "no": 1. "When I think about myself and my job, I feel downhearted and blue." 2. "When I’m at work, I often get tired for no reason." 3. "When I’m at work, I often find myself restless and can’t keep still." 4. "When at work, I am more irritable than usual."

26. Scales • Indicates differences in intensity among the indicators of a variable. • In a hierarchy in which one answer effectively indicates answers on other questions, this is a scale. • The most commonly used scale is the Likert Scale.

27. Bogardus Social Distance Scale A technique for measuring willingness of people to participate in social relations with other kinds of people. Interested in the extent to which U.S. Christians are willing to associate with, say, Muslims. 1. Are you willing to live in the same country as Muslims? 2. Are you willing to live in the same community as Muslims? 3. Are you willing to live in the same neighborhood as Muslims? 4. Are you willing to live next door to a Muslim? 5. Are you willing to let your child marry a Muslim?