1 Survey Research ( 調調 調調 ) Social Research Methods 2217 & 6501 Fall, 2006
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Survey Research (調查研究 )
Social Research Methods
2217 & 6501
Fall, 2006
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Part II. Constructing the Questionnaire (Continued)
wording issues questionnaire design issues
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Wording Issues (用字遣詞的考量 ) Two wording issues:
Use simple vocabulary and grammar (使用簡單的字彙與文法 )
Effects of specific words or phrases (特殊詞彙的影響 )
Wording effects Avoid certain words Be aware of minor wording changes
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Questionnaire Design Issues: Length of Survey or Questionnaire Length of Survey or Questionnaire
No absolute proper length The length depends on the survey format and on
the respondent’s characteristics For students’ projects: ~10 pp.
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Questionnaire Design Issues: Question Order (問題順序 ) Organization of Questionnaire
Remember: minimize the discomfort and confusion of respondents
The opening section: easy and interesting questions first
Background questions usually in the ending section
Put questions on the same topic together Question topics flow smoothly and logically Always end with a “thank you”
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Questionnaire Design Issues: Question Order Order Effects (順序效應 ):
Order effects strongest for people who lack strong views, less educated, older respondents or those with memory loss (對立場不堅定、教育程度愈低、年紀愈大、記憶力差的人影響越大 )
Respondents will be affected by the set of issues and order of question presentation in questionnaires
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Questionnaire Design Issues: Question Order Context Effects (脈絡效應 )
Context includes question order, the effects of the interviewer, interviewing setting, etc.
Evident in mail surveys Can do two things:
Use a funnel sequence (from general to specific questions)
Test the question order Respondents answer questions based on a conte
xt of preceding questions and the interview setting. (前面的問題可作為回答後面問題的脈絡基礎 ) The more ambiguous a question’s meaning, the stronger
the context effects.
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Question Design Issues: Format and Layout (格式與設計 ) Questionnaire layout
Questionnaire should be clear, neat, and easy to follow
Have a cover sheet: for administrative use Give respondents instructions
Instructions in different color or font Layout is crucial for self-administered or mail
surveys Details matters
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Question Design Issues: Format and Layout Question format
Make responses unambiguous: boxes, brackets, or numbers
Arrows or instructions for contingency questions Use matrix questions (矩陣式問項 )
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Question Design Issues: Format and Layout
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Questionnaire Design Issues: Nonresponse (未作答或拒答 ) Nonresponse is a major problem for survey researc
h. The issue of representativeness Nonresponse in most academic surveys: 25-33%
Five types of nonresponse: nonlocation, noncontact, ineligible, refusal to participate, incomplete participation
Some techniques to reduce nonresponse Reduce each type of nonresponse Initial contact critical Use incentives tailoring
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Part III. Types of Surveys: Advantages and disadvantages
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Mail and Self-Administered Questionnaires (郵寄與自填式問卷 )Advantages The cheapest Cover a wide
geographical area Convenient for
respondents Offer anonymity and
avoid interviewer bias effective
Disadvantages A low response rate Do not know the
conditions under which a mail questionnaire is completed
Cannot observe respondents’ reactions, characteristics, or settings
Some types of questions are not ideal
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Web Survey: over the Internet or by emailAdvantages Very fast and
inexpensive Allow flexible design
and use visual image Principles of paper
questionnaire generally apply
efficiency
Disadvantages Coverage: sampling
issues Privacy and verification
Technological fixes Design issues
Various software and hardware combination
Screen-by-screen questions
A progress indicator Provide instructions
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Telephone Interviews (電話訪談 )Advantages A popular survey
method: quickly reach people across long distances
Flexible, cost lower than face-to-face interviews
Computer-assisted technologies: CATI & IVR
Disadvantages Relatively high cost and
limited interview legnth Cannot reach people wi
thout phones Possible interviewer bia
s Some questions cannot
be used Only notice serious disr
uptions
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Face-to-Face Interviews (面對面訪談 )Advantages Have the highest
response rates Permit the longest
questionnaire Can observe the
surroundings and use nonverbal communication and visual aids
Interviewers can ask complex questions and probes
Disadvantages High cost Interviewer bias
greatest Interviewer supervision
is less
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Interviewing (訪談 ) The role of the interviewer: difficult
Survey interviewing is special Nonjudgmental and do not reveal their opinions Provide human warmth, sense of trust, and rappor
t Stages of an interview
Asking questions by following the exact wording Recording answers verbatim: never summarizes o
r paraphrases Use probes (追問 : 中性的要求 ) effectively
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Interviewing—interviewer bias (訪員偏差 ) Training interviewers Interviewer bias: concerning the issue of
standardization Factors affecting interviewer bias
Interviewer expectations Interviewers’ visible characteristics (race and
gender)
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Cultural Meanings and Survey Interviews The concern: how people create social
meanings and cultural understanding? Reconsider naïve assumption model of
survey interviews (pp. 310-311) Remember a survey interview ≠ordinary
conversation The standardization of survey research: the
construction of a shared meaning among different people
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Pilot Testing
Pilot-testing survey interviews and questionnaires before implementation
The purpose: to improve questionnaire design (see pp. 312) Cognitive interviewing
Pre-test your questionnaire!
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The Ethical Survey (合乎研究倫理的調查 ) The invasion of privacy
Provide mutual trust and confidentiality Voluntary participation The exploitation of surveys and pseudosurve
ys Misuse survey results or use poorly designed
surveys Poor media reports
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Summary: Survey research is complicated and requires great knowledge, planning, and skills
work hard to minimize errors be careful in analyzing data and generalizing results