S URVEY D ESIGNS Chapter 12 Lauri Cabral Sean Lafontaine.
-
Upload
alyson-flynn -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
1
Transcript of S URVEY D ESIGNS Chapter 12 Lauri Cabral Sean Lafontaine.
OUTLINE – SURVEY RESEARCH What is it?
What types are there?
What are the features?
Types / Features / Design and Construction
What are the ethical considerations?
What are the steps involved?
How do you evaluate and analyze them?
What are their strengths & limitations?
WHAT IS SURVEY RESEARCH?
A form of quantitative research in which researchers administer a survey to a sample or to the entire population to describe attitudes, opinions, behaviours, or characteristics of the population
Collecting quantitative data using questionnaires, researchers statistically analyze the data to describe trends about responses to questions and to test research questions and/or hypotheses
Similar to correlational designs because surveys do not explain cause and effect as experimental research does
SURVEYS
Surveys are effective and efficient instruments used by researchers to gather information on trends, attitudes, and characteristics of a population
WHEN DO YOU USE SURVEY RESEARCH?
To describe trends E.g. trends about levels of bullying in schools
To identify individual opinions about policy issues E.g. Your opinion on Bill 115
To evaluate the level of success of programs E.g. The success of the breakfast program
To identify important beliefs and attitudes of a population E.g. student beliefs about what constitutes bullying
2 TYPES OF SURVEY DESIGNS
Cross Sectional Collects data at one
point in time Measures:
current attitudes, beliefs, opinions, or behaviours of one or more groups OR
community needs OR
evaluate programs
Longitudinal• Trend Studies:
examine change within a population over time• E.g. Level of bullying
in certain schools • Cohort Studies: a sub-
group of a population that has a common defining characteristic• E.g. Parents level of
education• Panel Studies: the
same people are examined over time• E.g. The 7 Up Project
TYPES OF CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL SURVEY DESIGNS (FIGURE 12.1)
Time of Data Collection
Longitudinal Cross-Section
Trends PanelCohort
Attitudes and
Practices
Group Comparisons
Program Evaluation
National Assessmen
t
Community Needs
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SURVEY RESEARCH
1. Sampling from a population
2. Collecting data through questionnaire or interviews
3. Designing instruments for data collection
4. Obtaining a high response rate
TO MAXIMIZE SURVEY RESULTS
Ensure a good target population
Select a large enough sample
Have clear, unambiguous questions and response options
Use rigorous administrative procedures to achieve a large return rate.
RANDOM SAMPLING is the most rigorous form of sampling .... Exception: census studies
COLLECTING DATAQUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS
1. Interview SurveyA form on which the researcher records answers supplied by the participant.
Questions are asked from an interview guide Researcher listens for answers or observes
behaviours and records responses The investigator uses a structured or semi-
structured interview consisting mostly of closed-ended questions, provides response options to interviewees and records their responses.
2. TYPES OF QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEYS
1. Mailed Questionnaires:2. Web based questionnaires:3. One on one interviews:4. Focus group interviews5. Telephone interviews
Youth Bullying Survey
3. INSTRUMENT DESIGN
Options:
1. Consider using an existing survey instrument
2. Consider modifying an existing tool
3. When neither 1 nor 2 are options, design your own instrument
DESIGNING AN INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION
1. Write different types of questions Personal, Attitudinal and Behavioural questions Sensitive questions
2. Use strategies for good question construction
Closed questions Open-ended questions Semi-structured questions
3. Perform a pilot test of the questions
QUESTION CONSTRUCTION
Must be clear and unambiguous
Sensitive to gender, class and cultural needs of participants
Ensure question has a clear response and that the participant will be able to answer
COMMON CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS
Question is unclear Multiple questions within a single question Question is too wordy Question is negatively worded Question includes jargon There are overlapping responses Unbalanced response options A question includes overly technical
language Not all questions are applicable to all
participants
PILOT TESTING
A test run of your survey to ensure it does what it was designed to do
Always pilot test your survey! E.g. Neighbourhood Aesthetics Observational
Survey
RESPONSE RATE Researchers seek a high response rate that is
not biased A high response rate creates a stronger claim
in generalizing results Interviews obtain higher response rates To encourage high response in questionnaires,
certain methods are used: Pre-notify participants that they will receive a
questionnaire Use good follow-up procedures Study a problem of interest to the population being
studied Use a brief instrument Consider the use of incentives
RESPONSE BIAS
Occurs when the responses do not accurately reflect the views of the sample and the population
Wave analysis is a procedure to check for response bias. Investigators group returns by intervals and check to see if the answers to a few select questions change from the first week to the final week of the study E.g. Failing a test in the middle of a month may
change a student’s attitudes toward the teacher
CONSTRUCTING A MAILED QUESTIONNAIRE
The Cover letter: Highlights importance of participant and value of
response Purpose of the study, including informed consent Assurances of confidentiality Sponsorship Completion time and returns
TIPS FOR QUESTIONNAIRE CONSTRUCTION
Short length
Begins with straightforward demographic or personal questions that encourage commitment
Use a variety of closed ended questions
Some open-ended items to encourage elaboration
Pleasing layout
Closing instructions thanking the participant
DATA ANALYSIS OF A QUESTIONNAIRE ( FIG.12.7)
1. Identify response rate and response bias
2. Descriptively analyse the data to identify general trends
3. Write the report presenting the descriptive results and/or use advanced statistics
POTENTIAL ETHICAL ISSUES
Survey research may be exempt from a detailed review by review boards (unless it addresses sensitive topics or minor populations)
Incentives can be used, but should not be large Do not overstate the benefits of participating Do not put interviewee safety at risk or be deceptive, misleading
or inaccurate. Confidentiality of respondents must be maintained. Links between answers and participants should be made with an
ID number that is only known by the researcher. Be careful when reporting a small subset of results that could
disclose identity When the project concludes, you are responsible for destruction
of detailed/personal survey instrument information
EXAMPLES
Neighbourhood Aesthetics Observational Survey
Personality Testwww.personalitytest.net/ipip/ipipneo1.htm
www.prevnet.ca/BullyingFacts/BullyingStatistics/tabid/122/Default.aspx