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Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Chapter NineSurveys: Putting Numbers on Opinions

Key Concepts

•Surveys – ▫Capture public opinion at a point in time. ▫Use formatted rather than open-ended

questions.▫Administered by phone, mail, email, web,

or interview.•With appropriate sampling, we can

generalize with a known statistical confidence from a sample to a wider population.

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Survey Definition

A series of formatted questions delivered to a defined sample of people with the expectation of responses immediately or within a few days.

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Survey Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages DisadvantagesRelatively low cost Generally limited to scaled or

check-list questions

Relatively fast delivery No control over response rate

Rapid data processing Provides information more than understanding

Can research large populations

Increasing public resistance

Multiple methods – phone, mail, Internet.

Difficult to explore issues in depth.

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General Survey Questions

•Demographics ▫age, sex, religion, marital status,

occupation.

•Knowledge•Attitudes•Behavior

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Types of Surveys•Cross-sectional

- “slice of time.”•Longitudinal

▫Trend - different people over time▫Cohort - same type of people over time▫Panel - same individuals over time▫Cross-lagged - measures a dependent

variable and an independent variable at two points in time.

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Types of Questions

•Open endedMy age is _____

•Dichotomous –Have you read the book? ___ Yes ___ No

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Types of Questions – cont.

•Multiple choice - mutually exclusive –

My age at last birthday was -____ 19-24____ 25-29____ 30-34 ____ 35-39

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Types of Questions - cont.

•Multiple choice, check any –

Class should be held at -___ 5 a.m.___ 6 a.m.___ 7 a.m.

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Types of Questions - cont.

•Rank order – Please rank order your choices by writing ‘1’ next to your first choice, ‘2’ next to your second choice, and so on.My ideal partner should be – ___ Rich ___ Good looking___ Powerful___ Intelligent

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Types of Questions - cont.

Likert Scale Strongly Strongly AgreeAgree Neutral Disagree Disagree

1. Hybrid vehicles are powerful.

___ ____ ____ ____ _____ 2. Hybrid vehicles reduce dependency on foreign oil.

___ ____ _____ ____ _____

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Types of Questions – cont.

Semantic Differential Scale

The XKJ Bogbuster 300 is

Powerful - - - WeakExpensive - - - CheapGood looking - - - Ugly

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Common Problems with Wording

•Leading questions -▫When did you first start plagiarizing

your research papers?

•Double-barreled questions – ▫Will you vote against the building

demolition, or aren’t you going to vote?

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“Funnel” Structure of Questionnaires

•Funnel – ▫Broad, general questions lead to narrow

specific questions.

•Inverted Funnel –

▫Narrow, specific questions lead to broad, general questions.

Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

“Filter” Questions

•Filter instructions and questions route respondents around questions that do not apply to them.

• Example:

If this home has an Internet connection, please continue with question 6. If it has no Internet connection, please go to question 18.

Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

PRE-TEST, PRE-TEST, PRE-TEST

•Aesthetics and design of questionnaire.

•Logic and flow of wording.

•Words – and their specific meaning(s)

If it can be misunderstood it will be.

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Improving Response Rates

•Advance letter or phone call.

•Reminder letter or phone call.

•Reply paid envelopes for mail.

•Small gift or donation to charity.

•Follow up “thank you”

Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Chapter SummarySurveys – • common method for capturing public opinion• can be fast and cost-effective• use formatted questions such as checklists and scales• use phone, mail, email, Web site, or personal

interview• must be carefully worded and pre-tested• with proper sampling, results can be generalized to a

wider population• cannot assess causal relationships between variables• results are valid only as of the time the survey was

done.

Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Vocabulary Review

Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Vocabulary Review

Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Web Resources

• The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) -

http://www.norc.org/• NORC “What is a survey?” -

http://www.whatisasurvey.info/

• Council of American Research Organizations -http://www.casro.org/

• Cool Surveys -http://www.coolsurveys.com/

• Zoomerang -http://www.zoomerang.com/

Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications