Discussion 3
yankeedoodle
cozby11_ppt_ch07.pptASKING PEOPLE ABOUT THEMSELVES: SURVEY RESEARCH
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Compare the two ways to administer surveys: written questionnaire and oral interviews
Define interviewer bias
Describe a panel study
Distinguish between probability and nonprobability sampling techniques
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Describe simple random sampling stratified random sampling, and cluster sampling
Describe haphazard sampling, purposive sampling, and quota sampling
Describe the ways that samples are evaluated for potential bias, including sampling frame and response rate
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Provides a methodology for asking people to tell about themselves
To study relationships between / among variables
To study how attitudes and behaviors change over time
Provides useful information for making public policy decisions
Important complement to experimental research findings
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Defining the Research Objectives
Attitudes and beliefs
Facts and demographics
Behaviors
Must keep it simple to avoid confusion
Avoid jargon and technical terms when possible
If needed, provide a brief description of the background for more complex questions
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Question Wording
Potential problems that stem from difficulty understanding the question:
Unfamiliar technical terminology
Vague or imprecise terms
Ungrammatical sentence structure
Phrasing that overloads working memory
Embedding the question with misleading information
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Important considerations when writing questions:
Ensure simplicity
Avoid:
Double-barreled questions
Loaded questions
Negative wording
Yea-saying and nay-saying
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Closed- Versus Open-Ended Questions
Number of Response Alternatives
Rating Scales
Graphic rating scale
Semantic differential scale
Nonverbal scales for children
Labeling Response Alternatives
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Formatting the Questionnaire
Should appear attractive and professional
Neatly typed and free from errors
Use point scales consistently
Refining Questions
Proof questions with others
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Questionnaires
Personal administration to groups or individuals
Mail surveys
Internet surveys
Other technologies
“Computerized experience-sampling”
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Interviews
Face-to-face interviews
Telephone interviews
Focus group interviews
Problem: Interviewer bias
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Questions Are the Same Each Time Surveyed
Tracks Changes Over Time
Repeated surveys of incoming freshman at university
Effects of sexual situations on TV
Teen pregnancy rates
Panel Study
The same respondents are studied over time
Helps to study the relationships between two or more variables over time
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Confidence Intervals
Level of confidence that the true population value lies within an interval of the obtained sample
Sampling error or margin of error
Sample Size
A larger sample size reduces the size of the confidence interval
Must consider the cost / benefit of increasing sample size
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Two basic techniques for sampling
Probability Sampling
Simple random sampling
Every member of the population has an equal probability of being selected
Stratified random sampling
Population divided into subgroups (strata) and random samples taken from each strata
Cluster sampling – identify clusters and sample from three clusters
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Nonprobability Sampling—unknown probability of any member being chosen
Haphazard sampling – convenience sampling
Purposive sampling – sample meets predetermined criterion
Quota sampling – sample reflects the numerical composition of various subgroups in the population
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
Representative of the population
Sampling Frame
- Actual population from which the sample is drawn
Response Rate
- Percentage of respondents who complete
Reasons for Using Convenience Samples
Less costly in terms of time and money
Concerns
May not be generalizable
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
*
