Data Collection

Survey
KEY FEATURES OF SURVEYS
• Gather data on a one-shot basis;
• Represent a wide target population
• Generate numerical, often large scale data;
• Provide descriptive, inferential and explanatory data;
• Manipulate key factors and variables;
• Gather standardized information;
• Ascertain correlations;
• Remove contextual data;
• Gather data from multiple choice, closed questions, test scores or
observation schedules;
• Support or refute hypotheses about the target population;
• They are piloted;
• Make generalizations about, and observe patterns of response in,
the targets of focus;
• Gather data which can be processed statistically.
TYPES OF SURVEY

SAME SAMPLE /
LONGITUDINAL COHORT OVER
TIME

CROSS- SNAPSHOTS OF
SECTIONAL DIFFERENT
SAMPLES AT ONE
OR MORE TIMES

TREND/ SELECTED
PREDICTION FACTORS
CONTINUOUSLY
STUDIES OVER TIME
PLANNING A SURVEY
• Specify the exact purpose of the enquiry:
• Primary topics
• Subsidiary topics
• Specific information requirements
• Specify the population on which the survey is
to focus;
• Specify the resources that are available:
• Human (e.g. for administering and processing
survey)
• Material
• Financial
• Administrative
• Temporal
• Geographical
• Software
PLANNING A SURVEY
• Data collection
• Researcher-administered
• Self-administered
• Postal survey
• Telephone survey
• Internet survey
• Face-to-face interviews
• Email
• Self-reporting
• May lead to biased reporting
PLANNING A SURVEY
• Problem definition
• Sample selection
• Design of measurements
• Concern for participants
STAGES IN SURVEY DESIGN
DEFINE OBJECTIVES

DECIDE INFORMATION

SAMPLING INSTRUMENTATION

PILOT TRAINING

DATA COLLECTION

DATA ANALYSIS

REPORTING
STAGES IN CONDUCTING A SURVEY
1. Define the objectives;
2. Decide the kind of survey required;
3. Formulate research questions or hypotheses;
4. Decide the issues on which to focus;
5. Decide the information that is needed to address the issues;
6. Decide the sampling required;
7. Decide the instrumentation and the metrics required;
8. Generate the data collection instruments;
9. Decide how the data will be collected;
10. Pilot the instruments and refine them;
11. Train the interviewers (if appropriate);
12. Collect the data
13. Analyze the data;
14. Report the results.
PROBLEMS IN SURVEYS

• Poor sampling
• Poor question design and wording (failure to operationalize)
• Incorrect or biased responses
• Low response or non-response
ADVANTAGES OF POSTAL SURVEYS
• Reach many people
• Comparatively cheap
• Can be completed at respondents’ preferred
time
• No risk of interviewer bias
• Can reach scattered populations
• Can gather sensitive data (as nobody else
present)
 DISADVANTAGES OF POSTAL
SURVEYS
• Low response rate
• No check on understanding
• No check whether all items are completed
• Need to have a very simple format
• Presentation matters affect completion
 ADVANTAGES OF INTERVIEW
SURVEYS
• Improves response rates
• Can clarify queries from respondents
• Can stimulate the respondent to give full answers
• Can be flexible (e.g. in item sequence)
• Benefit from non-verbal communication
• Can build in trust and rapport
• Ensures that only the respondent answers the questions
 DISADVANTAGES OF INTERVIEW
SURVEYS
• Interviewer characteristics affect responses
• Conduct of interview affects responses
• Flexibility can reduce standardization
• Costly in time, travel and training
ADVANTAGES OF TELEPHONE
SURVEYS
• Reduce bias in the researcher or the interviewee
• Reduce costs of time and travel
• Easy to find more people to contact
DISADVANTAGES OF TELEPHONE
SURVEYS
• Not everyone has a telephone
• Not everyone is available for interview
• People are ex-directory
• The person answering the call may not be the
most suitable person
• Multiple choice and rating scale questions are
difficult
• Order effects can be strong
• People may lie or hang up if questions are
unwelcome, sensitive, too long, too many
• Lack of non-verbal cues
ADVANTAGES OF INTERNET-BASED
SURVEYS
• Many people can be reached
• Cheap to administer
• Quick to process results
• Can reach difficult populations
• Anonymity and non-traceability
• Novelty value
• Respondents can complete the questionnaire from home;
• Respondents can complete it at a time to suit
themselves;
• Respondents can complete the survey over time;
• Complex skip-patterns can be created and organized by
the computer, so that participants do not have to
understand complicated instructions;
ADVANTAGES OF INTERNET-BASED
SURVEYS
• The software can prompt respondents to complete
missed items or to correct errors;
• Computer can check incomplete or inconsistent replies;
• For each screen, the computer can provide an on-
screen indication of how much of the questionnaire has
been completed;
• Reduction of researcher effects;
• Human error is reduced in entering and processing
data;
• Additional features may make the survey attractive;
• Greater generalizability may be obtained as Internet
users come from a wide and diverse population;
• Greater authenticity of responses may be obtained.
DISADVANTAGES OF INTERNET-
BASED SURVEYS
• Not everyone has internet access
• Limited control over sampling
• Ethics (e.g. traceability)
• Hardware and software problems
• Expertise of respondents
• Visual presentation takes on added signficance
• Limited number of lines per screen
• People give a minimal response
• Order effects (early responses affect later ones)
• People stop if it is too long or complicated