Steps in the Survey Process
Information Needs
Forward Links
Backward Links
Sampling Design
Instrumentation
Data Collection
Data Processing
Report Generation
2-1
Developing the Project
Outline
1. List information needs by priority
2. Indicate the value of the information
3. Identify internal resource requirements
4. Specify sample size and design
5. Provide a mock-up of instrumentation
6. Note the scope of the response task
7. Describe the data collection method
8. Outline the data processing method
9. Describe the type of reports required
10. Summarize final costs and the timetable
2-2
Information Value and
Priority
• The cost of selecting a "bad" alternative or failing
to select the best alternative would be high
• There's much uncertainty about which alternative
to choose, based on existing information
• Research information is likely to reduce a
substantial amount of existing uncertainty
2-3
Comparison of Data
Collection Methods
Personal Phone
Data collection costs
High
Data collection time required
Medium
Sample size for a given budget
Small
Data quantity per respondent
High
Reaches high proportion of public Yes
Reaches widely dispersed sample
No
Reaches special locations
Yes
Interaction with respondents
Yes
Degree of interviewer bias
High
Severity of non-response bias
Low
Presentation of visual stimuli
Yes
Field worker training required
Yes
Medium
Low
Medium
Medium
Yes
Maybe
Maybe
Yes
Medium
Low
No
Yes
Online
Mail
Low
Medium
Large
Low
No
Yes
No
No
None
High
Yes
No
Low
High
Large
Low
Yes
Yes
No
No
None
High
Maybe
No
2-4
When Interviews Are
Required
• Interaction with respondents required
• Some opinions discourage response
• Adequate mailing lists aren't available
• Must be done at specific location or time
• Instrument can't be self-administered
• Much data needed from each respondent
2-5
When Personal Interviews
Are Required
• Must be collected at a special location
• Respondents must have visual contact
• Interviewer must have visual contact
• Interviews are long or demands rapport
• Phone directories are inadequate frames
2-6
When Personal Interviews
Are Permitted
•
Appearance won't cause selection bias
•
Personal encounter won't cause threat
•
Companions aren't likely to interfere
•
Respondents are closely congregated
•
There is adequate time for data collection
2-7
Large Sample Sizes and
Small Response Tasks
• Volume of info from
each respondent low
• Self-administered
survey requires a
simple response task
Large
Fixed level
of funding
Small
Size of the
responding sample
• Main interest in
Individual items, not
patterns
Large
Amount of data from
each respondent
• Precise estimates of
numeric values
required
Small
2-8
Small Sample Sizes and
Large Response Tasks
• Amount of data
needed from each
respondent is high
• Interviewing permits
a large response task
Large
Fixed level
of funding
Small
Size of the
responding sample
• Main interest is in
patterns among many
variables
Large
Amount of data from
each respondent
• Only approximate
estimates are needed
Small
2-9
Sampling Design
Alternatives
• Random Sampling
• Every sample unit has an equal chance
of selection
• Convenience Sampling
• Some sample units have a greater
chance of selection than others
2-10
Sampling Design
Alternatives
• Stratified Sampling
• Subsample strata of specific proportions
are selected
• Unstratified Sampling
• Strata represented in the same
proportions as in the population
2-11
Sampling Design
Alternatives
• Clustered Sampling
• Geographic areas are selected and units
sampled from each
• Unclustered Sampling
• Sample units are selected regardless of
geographic location
2-12
Outlining the Questionnaire
1. Identify the topics to be measured based on the
information needs
2. Order the topics in a sequence that will be
meaningful to respondents
3. Tentatively select question and scale types for each
topic to be measured
4. Draft sample questions and compose typical scales
for each topic area
5. Organize the items into sections in a logical
sequence
6. Compose a rough questionnaire draft outline to
serve as a model
2-13
Statistical Analysis
Programs
• Complete Data Description
• Confidence Intervals for Estimates
• Measures of Relationships Among Variables
• Statistical Significance of Relationships
• May Do Tabular Reports
• May Do Charts, Graphs and Data Plots
2-14
Project Cost Elasticity
Data Collection
70% of Total
Project Cost
$
30% of Total
Project Cost
$
Report Generation
Data Processing
Instrument Composition
Sampling Procedure
Survey Initiation
Small
Sample Size
Large
2-15
Mail Survey Project
Schedule Chart
Days From Start
0
7
14
21
28
35
42
49
56
63
70
77
84
Information
needs
Sample
selection
Questionnaire
composition
Mailing piece
production
Mailing and field
interval
Early analysis
programming
Data transfer
and editing
Data analysis,
report writing
Final report to
client
Follow up
analysis, reports
2-16