Introduction to Survey Research

Joe Ripberger

Survey

“A systematic method for gathering information from (a sample of) entities for the purpose of constructing quantitative descriptors of the attributes of the larger population of which the entities are members.” (Groves et al. 2009)

Survey Methodology

“The study of survey methods. It is the study of sources of error in surveys and how to make the numbers produced by surveys as accurate as possible.” (Groves et al. 2009)

Survey Research

The application of the survey method to collect and analyze data from a sample of entities, with the goal of generating quantitative inferences about a larger population. It encompasses the design, implementation, and interpretation of surveys to answer empirical research questions.

Survey Concepts

• Survey: a method or tool for collecting data from individuals or groups
• Survey methodology: the study of how to design, conduct, and evaluate surveys to minimize error and maximize data quality
• Survey research: the broader process of using surveys to produce generalizable knowledge about a population (attitudes, behaviors, characteristics, etc.)

This course focuses primarily on survey research, though we will also cover key elements of survey methodology, which are essential for conducting high-quality research.

Exercise

We are survey researchers working for the City of Norman. The City Council wants to know how residents feel about a new development planned for University Park. Our job is to design a survey that will measure public support.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Target population: all of the units (e.g., individuals, households, organizations) to which one desires to generalize the survey results
• Sample (sampling) frame: the list of units in the population that the sample will be drawn from
• Sample selection (sampling design): how the units are chosen from the sampling frame
  • Probability sample (all units have a known, non-zero chance of selection)
  • Nonprobability sample (unknown chance of selection)
• Sample: all units of the population that are drawn for inclusion in the survey
• Completed sample (respondents): all of the units sampled that complete the survey questionnaire

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• Survey mode (mode of data collection): the way questions are delivered to respondents and how their answers are returned to the researcher
  • Example: face-to-face, telephone, mail, web, or mixed-mode

Key Terms and Concepts

Exercise

Term	Definition	Norman Survey Example
Target population	Everyone the survey results are meant to represent	All adults living in Norman, Oklahoma
Sample (sampling) frame	The list of people or units you can pick from	Address-based list of households in Norman
Sample selection (sampling design)	The method used to pick the sample	Stratified random sample by neighborhood
Sample	The people or units actually chosen to be surveyed	1,200 households randomly selected
Completed sample (respondents)	The people who actually answered the survey	642 residents who returned the survey
Survey mode (data collection)	How the survey was given and answers collected	Mixed mode: web and mail questionnaires

History of Survey Research

• Three eras of survey research (Groves 2011):
  • 1930–1960: The Era of Innovation
  • 1960–1990: The Era of Expansion
  • 1990–present: The Era of Challenges and Opportunities

• New developments (Couper 2017):
  • Frame development and sampling
  • Online (web) data collection
    • Nonprobability and probability approaches
  • Adaptive response designs and paradata

Step 1. Find articles

• Identify 2–3 peer-reviewed journal articles that use survey research to answer a research question.
• Make sure each article clearly explains who was surveyed, how the survey was done, and what it was used to study.

20:00

Step 2. Share your articles

• Save a PDF of each article.
• Upload them to the class Dropbox folder so everyone has access.

10:00

Step 3. Build a survey in Qualtrics

• Work in groups to create a short Qualtrics survey that will let our class record key details about each article (survey.ou.edu).
• The survey should include questions about the target population, sample frame, sample selection, sample, completed sample, and the survey mode.
• Make sure to include questions that will allow us to track survey respondents (e.g., your name) and subjects (e.g., article title).

30:00

Step 4. Take the survey!

• When all groups are ready, we will review the draft surveys together as a class.
• We will choose the version we like best and use that as our class survey instrument.
• Then, everyone will complete the survey to record details about the 15 total articles.

10:00