Introduction

Characteristics
of surveys

Planning a
survey

Questionnaire construction

The Final
questionnaire

Qualitative
surveys

Internet-based
surveys

Response rate

Strengths and limitations of
the survey
method

Improving
survey results

Aids

Aids

Key terms

Main points

1. The essential features of a survey are: data collection by means of a questionnaire from a randomly selected sample, followed by statistical analysis of the data.
2. Preparing for and conducting a survey includes: defining the research question; gaining necessary permission for data collection; conceptualizing, to identify and define the key concepts; constructing a questionnaire, consisting of the indicators to be used for measuring the concepts; extensive pretesting of the questionnaire; preparing the final questionnaire; locating members of the sample; and conducting interviews using the questionnaire.
3. Most surveys are conducted by means of personal interviews. Other methods are use of self-administered questionnaires, telephone interviews, and surveys conducted by email or through a Web site.
4. Writing or evaluating items used in previous research is important in constructing a questionnaire. Items borrowed from other questionnaires should be tested to be sure they are culturally relevant to respondents.
5. Closed items provide response categories from which respondents choose the response that best describes their views or situation.
6. Closed items are useful for collecting a large amount of data quickly, are easily coded, and lend themselves to statistical analysis.
7. Open-ended items allow respondents to answer in their own words and to provide far richer and more complex responses, but are more difficult to analyze.
8. Items used in a questionnaire should be: relevant and absolutely necessary for answering the research question; ones respondents are able and willing to answer; stated clearly, simply, and briefly in language used by respondents; and ones that ask for specific, concrete responses.
9. Do not use double-barreled questions, which are really two questions in one; leading or biased questions, which can lead respondents to answer one way over other ways; or questions expressed in negative form.
10. A combination of open-ended and closed items are frequently used to benefit from the strengths of each kind of question.
11. The final questionnaire should be organized to make sense from the point of view of respondents. It should include an introduction covering all the points needed to introduce the interviewer and the purpose of the survey to respondents and to establish trust with them.
12. It is absolutely essential to thoroughly pretest a draft questionnaire to make sure respondents are able and willing to answer all items; that the items are clear; and to discover any defects in the questionnaire or problems in conducting interviews. Pretests also give you an opportunity to test and develop interviewing skills.
13. More than one pretest may be needed for the preparation of a questionnaire.
14. Interviewers should be thoroughly familiar with any questionnaire they use.
15. The survey is best for collecting a lot of data from large samples. Survey data can also be easily quantified and analyzed statistically. When based on a probability sample, conclusions from a survey can be safely generalized to the population represented by the sample. The chief limitation of surveys is that responses may not   reflect what respondents actually feel or what they actual do in contrast to what they say in response to a question.

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