Survey Research Measurement & Methods. SURVEYS SURVEYS ASK RESPONDENTS FOR INFORMATION USING VERBAL OR WRITTEN QUESTIONING RESPONDENTS ARE A REPRESENTATIVE

Survey Research

Measurement & Methods

SURVEYSSURVEYS

SURVEYS ASK RESPONDENTS FOR INFORMATION USING VERBAL OR WRITTEN QUESTIONING

RESPONDENTS ARE A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF PEOPLE

GATHERING INFORMATION GATHERING INFORMATION VIA SURVEYSVIA SURVEYS

• QUICK

• INEXPENSIVE

• EFFICIENT

• ACCURATE

• FLEXIBLE

PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

• POOR DESIGN

• IMPROPER EXECUTION

Total Error

Systematic Error (bias)

Random SamplingError

Tree Diagram of Total Survey ErrorTree Diagram of Total Survey Error

RANDOM SAMPLING ERRORRANDOM SAMPLING ERROR

A STATISTICAL FLUCTUATION THAT OCCURS BECAUSE OF CHANGE VARIATION IN THE ELEMENTS SELECTED FOR THE SAMPLE

SYSTEMATIC ERRORSYSTEMATIC ERROR

SYSTEMATIC ERROR RESULTS FROM SOME IMPERFECT ASPECT OF THE RESEARCH DESIGN OR FROM A MISTAKE IN THE EXECUTION OF THE RESEARCH


AdministrativeError

RespondentError


SAMPLE BIASSAMPLE BIAS

SAMPLE BIAS - WHEN THE RESULTS OF A SAMPLE SHOW A PERSISTENT TENDENCY TO DEVIATE IN ONE DIRECTION FROM THE TRUE VALUE OF THE POPULATION PARAMETER

RespondentError

NonresponseError

ResponseBias


ResponseBias

UnconsciousMisrepresentation

DeliberateFalsification


RESPONSE BIASRESPONSE BIAS

A BIAS THAT OCCURS WHEN RESPONDENTS TEND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WITH A CERTAIN SLANT THAT CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY MISREPRESENT THE TRUTH

Acquiescence bias

Extremity bias

Interviewer bias

Auspices bias

Social desirability bias



AdministrativeError

RespondentError


ADMINISTRATIVE ERRORADMINISTRATIVE ERROR

• IMPROPER ADMINISTRATION OF THE RESEARCH TASK

• BLUNDERS• CONFUSION

• NEGLECT

• OMISSION

Data Processing Error

Sample Selection Error

Interviewer Error

Interviewer Cheating


COMMUNICATING WITH COMMUNICATING WITH RESPONDENTSRESPONDENTS

• PERSONAL INTERVIEWS• DOOR-TO-DOOR

• SHOPPING MALL INTERCEPTS

• TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS

• SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES

PERSONAL INTERVIEWSPERSONAL INTERVIEWS

Speed of Data Collection Moderate to fast

Geographical Flexibility Limited to moderate

Respondent Cooperation Excellent

Versatility of Questioning Quite versatile

Door-to-Door Personal InterviewDoor-to-Door Personal Interview

Questionnaire Length Long

Item Nonresponse Low

Possibility of Respondent LowestMisunderstanding

Degree of Interviewer HighInfluence of Answer

Supervision of Interviewers Moderate


Anonymity of Respondent Low

Ease of Call Back or Follow-up Difficult

Cost Highest

Special Features Visual materials may beshown or demonstrated;extended probing possible


Speed of Data Collection Fast

Geographical Flexibility Confined, urban bias

Respondent Cooperation Moderate to low

Versatility of Questioning Extremely versatile

Questionnaire Length Moderate to Long

Mall Intercept Personal InterviewMall Intercept Personal Interview

Item Nonresponse Medium

Possibility of Respondent LowestMisunderstanding

Degree of Interviewer HighestInfluence of Answers

Supervision of Interviewers Moderate to high


Anonymity of Respondent Low

Ease of Call Back or DifficultFollow-up

Cost Moderate to high

Special Features Taste test, viewing of TV Commercials possible


MAIL SURVEYSMAIL SURVEYS

Speed of Data Collection Researcher has no controlover return of questionnaire; slow

Geographical Flexibility High

Respondent Cooperation Moderate--poorly designedquestionnaire will have low

response rate

Versatility of Questioning Highly standardized format


Questionnaire Length Varies depending on incentive

Item Nonresponse High

Possibility of Respondent Highest--no interviewerMisunderstanding present for clarification

Degree of Interviewer None--interviewer absentInfluence of Answer

Supervision of Interviewers Not applicable


Anonymity of Respondent High

Ease of Call Back or Follow-up Easy, but takes time

Cost Lowest


• Write a “Sales Oriented” Cover Letter• Money Helps• - As a token of appreciation• - For a charity• Stimulate Respondents’ Interest with Interesting Questions• Follow Up• - Keying questionnaires with codes• Advanced Notification• Sponsorship by a Well-known and Prestigious Institution

How to Increase Response Rates for How to Increase Response Rates for Mail SurveysMail Surveys

Telephone SurveysTelephone Surveys

Speed of Data Collection Very fast

Geographical Flexibility High

Respondent Cooperation Good

Versatility of Questioning Moderate


Questionnaire Length Moderate

Item Nonresponse Medium

Possibility of Respondent Average Misunderstanding

Degree of Interviewer Moderate Influence of Answer

Supervision of Interviewers High, especially with central locationWATS interviewing


Anonymity of Respondent Moderate

Ease of Call Back or Follow-up Easy

Cost Low to moderate

Special Features Fieldwork and supervisionof data collection aresimplified; quite adaptableto computer technology


1. Fortune magazine tries to appeal to executives. Recently, the editor was reviewing the magazine's editorial policy. Among other things the editor felt it would be helpful to know how interested his readers were in each of twelve topics. A one-page structured questionnaire was constructed to collect data from a sample of 500.

____ Personal interview____ Telephone interview____ Mail questionnaire

Communication Media Questions

2. Your firm has just finished a radio advertising campaign for a new department store it recently opened in downtown Indianapolis. The store is designed to appeal primarily to the middle class. You want to measure the current level of awareness of the store and its features before deciding on next month's advertising budget. A two-page structured questionnaire has been prepared for this purpose. A sample size of 500 has been set.



3. General Motors has developed a five-page structured questionnaire to measure its dealers' attitudes toward GM's sales representatives. GM's sales representatives have frequent interactions with each of the dealers to whom they are assigned. GM plans to conduct a national survey of 2,000 dealers.



4. You work for the Indianapolis Bus Company and have developed a four-page questionnaire concerning consumer satisfaction with bus service. Included are several questions designed to uncover previously unidentified problems with the bus system. You want to conduct 400 interviews throughout the city. The attitudes and perceptions of those adults who have no alternative means of transportation are the most important part of this survey.



5. Your firm has just developed a new product for preventing car windows from fogging over. You are considering marketing the product through gas stations but would like to do a survey of 50 gas station managers in Chicago to get their reactions to the product and its packaging before making a final decision. You also feel these managers might be a useful source of ideas on how to promote the product.



Documents

Survey Research Measurement & Methods. SURVEYS SURVEYS ASK RESPONDENTS FOR INFORMATION USING VERBAL OR WRITTEN QUESTIONING RESPONDENTS ARE A REPRESENTATIVE