Research

Survey

What Is a Survey?
A method of gathering
information from a sample
of individuals.

Example:
A sample of voters is questioned in
advance of an election to determine how
the public perceives the candidates and
the issues ...
A manufacturer does a survey of the
potential market before introducing a
new product ...

Survey Strategy.
i. What Communication mode will be used?
ii. How much structure should be placed on
the question-and- answer processes?

i. Communication Mode:
a.
Personal/face to face interview,
b.
Telephonic interview,
c.
Interview through Mail.
ii. Process Structure
[Structured, Semi-structured or unstructured
questions?].

Information is collected by means

of standardized procedures so that
every individual is asked the same
questions in more or less the same
way.

Survey Design
The Steps in a Survey :
1. What do you want to learn? [Information
required]
[Establish the goals of the Project i.e what do
you want to achieve?]
2. From where to get information? or to Whom you
will interview? [Selecting your sample]
3. How you will interview? [Choose interview
methodology]
4. What you will ask? [Develop your questionnaire]
5. Pre-test the questionnaire

Survey Questions to ask?

Questions may be:

Open-ended
Closed

Types of Questionnaire
1. Open-ended Questionnaire
- Questions where free response is required.
a. Numerical Open Ended
Questionnaire
[How much did you spend on groceries this week?]

b. Text Open Ended Questionnaire

[How we can improve the working?]

2.

Close Ended
Questions where Restricted Response is required
Example:
a. Simple Alternate option
a. Agree
b. Do not Agree

or

How much satisfied you are in this class:

1.---------------------------------------------10
Minimum
Maximum
b. Multiple Choice Questions like:
Where do you live?
a.
North
b.
South
c.
East
d.
West

The manner in which a question is asked

can greatly affect the results of a survey.

The length of a questionnaire.

Confidentiality and
Integrity?

Questionnaire Design
1. Things to Avoid when Asking Questions
a. Complex Question
b. Leading and Loaded Questions
c. Emotional questions
d. Ambiguous Questions
Questions that do not provide respondents with enough
information so as to intelligently answer the question

e. Double barreled questions:

Two questions in one.

f.

Burdensome questions:

Questions that would require the respondents to put more

effort into answering the questionnaire than they are
willing
to provide

g.

Assumption/Hypothesis questions:

Questions where researchers assume respondents have

information they don't have.

Issues in questionnaire lay out

Order bias
Questions that are more general should be
asked before questions that are more
specific

Sensitive questions:
Questions that are sensitive should be asked
towards the end of the questionnaire.

Interest building
any questions that might increase
respondents interest in the questionnaire
should be asked early in the questionnaire

Questionnaire Design
General Tips:
Always apply keep it short and simple KISS Principle
[If yr questionnaire is of 20 pages respondents will give-up in horror
even before starting].
1. Start with introduction message
Who you are? and
Why you are doing the survey?
It is better to give the name of the Co., instead of clients
name e.g SZABIST
and Walls Ice cream.
2. Give assurance to the respondents about the secrecy of
the source and/or information.
3. Describe where to return this questionnaire, after filling.
4. Include your name and phone #.
[May be some one will call for any query/clarification]

5. Make sure that your MCQ questions include all possible

answers.
[Allow a Dont know or Not Applicable and Other or None,
response to the questions where applicable].
7. Dont put two questions into one
[Have you ever bought frozen meat & fish, if so did u like?]
8. No emotional words or leading questions.
9. No technical terms and acronyms
[GPA, instead of Grade point Average]
[AGI, instead of Adjusted Gross Income]
10. Attractive Layout of Questionnaire.
- Good/Sober Look
- Easier to read
- No use of many colors and fonts
- No Background images [It makes text harder to read].
11. Pre-test the Questionnaire [Test the questionnaire with small nos]

Characteristics of the Survey

Methods. [Merits & Limitations].
Merits.
Efficient and economical than
observational and experimental
method,

Limitations:
a. The information to be collected depends
on the respondents to co-operate.
b. Even if the respondents do participate,
but in many cases, they may not have
the knowledge or even an opinion on
the topic concerned.
c. Respondents may also interpret a
question or concept differently from
what was intended by the researcher.

Personal Interview.

It is an excellent data collection technique.

Advantages:
In depth and detailed information can be secured.
The interviewers have more control than with other kinds
of
interrogation.
The interviewers can pre-screen (see) to assure the
correct
respondent is replying.

Limitations:
This method is costly.
Possibility of non co-operation by the respondents.
Interviewers are reluctant to visit unfamiliar

Stages/Steps in successful interview:

1. The introduction.
Interviewer's appearance and actions are critical in
forming a good first impression.
- Introduce yourself by name and Organization
- Show special identification if any,
- Submit the introductory letter if any,
-Introduction should not be detailed (unnecessary),
- Be prepared to deal with the questions as:
How did you pick me?
Who gave you our/my name?
I do not know enough about this. Why dont you
go to
next door?
Why are you doing this study?

2.

Gathering the data

3.

Recording the Interview

Interview Problems:

No response error,
No response error occurs when you can not locate whom you are
supposed to study.

Response Error.
- Errors in the processing and tabulation of data,
- Errors occur when the respondent fails to report fully and
accurately,

Interviewer Error.
- If the interviewers do not do a good job of enlisting respondent
- Co-operation, it is likely to be a biased information,

Costs.
- Respondents are often geographically scattered hence expensive.

Telephone Interview

Problems
Non contact rate
Refusal rate

Self-Administered Surveys
Types
- Mail survey
- Computer-delivered
- Face to face

Disadvantages
Large non response error
Cannot obtain detailed or large
amounts of information

Thank you