Background to PEAS projectGillian Raab

Professor of Applied Statistics

Napier University

ESRC research methods programme

• foster work that directly enhances methodological knowledge or improves and advances quantitative and qualitative methods;

• encourage and support the dissemination of good practice, including the enhancement of training programmes and training materials for the research community;

http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/methods/

UK expertise in surveys

• Universities have less than in NA or Europe• Most of it lies in survey organisations• The ESRC makes lots of data available via their

survey archive• But there is limited expertise in universities on the

best ways of analysing this• Government departments are also major users of

these national survey data sets

Survey design and analysis

• Big surveys are usually complicated• The design is intended to enable the survey to get

accurate and precise results• The survey design ought to be reflected in the

analysis• Usual statistical methods (e.g. t-tests, chi squared

tests) don’t allow for this• But there are statistical methods which can• Developed 1950s to the present

PEAS project

• I was not analysing surveys properly

• Started to try to improve while doing some contract work

• Got good advice from Susan Purdon

• Found that survey software was beginning to become more generally available but was hard to use

• Applied to the ESRC with Susan to get funding to provide web based training material

• Joined by Kathy Buckner for web and HCI expertise

• Now ably assisted by Iona Waterston, web designer

PEAS aims

• to develop a web-based resource which will take the survey analyst through exemplars of the use of different methods that are currently available for the analysis of complex surveys

• to hold a series of workshops aimed at researchers who analyse survey data.

• The web site will also contain a guide to survey design and analysis

Design/analysis links

Set up and run the survey and get data

Analyse the results

Decide on a design

Evaluate their bias and precision

Workshop 1 aims

• For us to get a first impression of how people will use the material on the web site

• To find out what people might like to find on the web site

• To get feedback on the design and navigation aspects of the site

• We are still very much under development, so not everything will work yet

• To give the participants some information about survey design and analysis