Survey Research

1. SurveyResearch Slides Prepared by Alison L. O’Malley Passer Chapter 7

2. Surveys: An Introduction • Surveys rely on interviews and questionnaires to gather info about people • What is the last survey you took? Take Our Survey!

3. Populations and Samples • Operationally defined by sampling frame Population Sample Representative or biased? What’s the difference between representative and nonrepresentative samples?

4. Surveys – Can we trust the data? Participants’ responses may be distorted by social desirability bias, or perhaps they’re misremembering… Response Truth ? Fret not. High quality survey research is doable!

5. Selecting the Sample • Probability sampling • Every member of the population has chance of being sampled • Probability of selection can be specified • Nonprobability sampling • Probability sampling conditions do not apply

6. Probability Sampling • Simple random sampling • Build a sampling frame containing all population members • Stratified random sampling • Sampling frame divided into groups (based on demographic characteristics) • Random sampling applied to each group

7. Probability Sampling What if there’s no sampling frame? • Cluster sampling • Units (e.g., schools) containing population members are identified • Essentially, this step creates the sampling frame • These “clusters” are then randomly sampled • May not represent the entire population

8. Nonprobability Sampling • Convenience sampling • “Grab whomever you can” • Likely to generate a nonrepresentative sample • Quota sampling • Sample designed to mirror population characteristics (e.g., % of females) • Uses convenience sampling to create sample within each quota group (e.g., males and females)

9. Nonprobability Sampling • Self-selected samples • Participants elect to participate (as opposed to being sought out by researcher) • A form of convenience sampling • Likely to generate a large sample size, but keep in mind that representativeness matters more than sample size!

10. Nonprobability Sampling • Purposive sampling • Sample created in line with study goals (e.g., focus only on students in Top 10 graduate programs in research on the work habits of successful graduate students) • Two common strategies • Expert sampling • Snowball sampling – participants recruit others to participate

11. Sampling: Check Your Understanding • What is the difference between quota sampling and stratified random sampling?

12. Margin of Sampling Error • Sample results are estimates of the true population value • Sampling variability captures how sample characteristics fluctuate • If you roll two dice 100 times and encounter this “5” and “2” pattern 13 times, it’s extremely unlikely you’ll see this pattern 13 more times in the next 100 rolls

13. Margin of Sampling Error • Thus, sampling error acknowledges that our population estimates vary depending on the sample • Survey data are then accompanied by a margin of sampling error, a range of values within which the true population value falls • Keeping in mind that we can never be 100% certain in our results, we also report confidence levels (typically 95%)

14. Sample Reporting • “For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±2 percentage points.” • Gallup Economy Poll - May 28, 2013 • http://www.gallup.com/poll/162797/economic-confidence-holds-steady-high-level.aspx

15. Taking the following data into account, why don’t researchers aim for more precise estimates?

16. Constructing Questionnaires • Write a survey item asking participants about their exercise habits • Now, ask a classmate for feedback on your item • Developing a questionnaire takes a significant amount of time and effort, and typically several versions are piloted before the final version is rolled out.

17. Types of Questions Open-Ended and Closed-Ended • Closed-ended questions provide specific response options, whereas open-ended questions do not, allowing participants to answer in whatever form they choose • Was your item about exercise behavior open- or closed-ended? • Open-ended questions generally are more difficult to work with. Why?

18. Closed-Ended Question Types • Multiple choice • Ranking scales

19. Closed-Ended Question Types • Forced choice • Rating scales Describe the signature features of Likert response formats.

20. Question Wording Common Pitfalls to Avoid • Leading questions • Loaded questions • Double-barreled questions • Double negatives Are you or are you not in favor of terrorists in our country corrupting our young people and threatening our core values? Help! Identify what’s wrong with this question and rewrite it.

21. Putting the Survey Together General Rules of Thumb • Group related questions together • Place open-ended questions before closed-ended questions • Move from more general to more specific questions • Place personally sensitive questions at or near the end

22. Administering Surveys Supplements to ongoing behavioral observations • Face-to-face (in-person) interviews • Achieve higher response rates • Facilitate establishment of rapport • Enable standardized approach • Interviewer can clarify any participant confusion • But, they’re pricey!

23. Administering Surveys • What can interviewers do to aid each of the following? • Limitations in participant memory • Response distortion due to interviewer bias or other interviewer effects

24. Other Ways to Administer Surveys • Telephone • Mail • Online • Discuss the strengths and limitations of each mode of data collection.

25. Additional Survey Considerations • Nonresponse bias occurs when participants who declined to participate would have responded differently than participants did • Introduces more error into population estimates • Although lower response rates do not appear to drive nonresponse bias, declining participation rates are of concern • Many researchers offer incentives to encourage participation

26. Be a Smart Survey Consumer What survey design features enable you to have greater confidence in the results? Be on the lookout for bogus surveys! Think Critically