Survey Research

Survey Research



Penn State University

Summer 2003

WFED 597

Dr. Paul Krueger

Agenda



 Defining survey research

 Course description, objectives & measures

 “Where to start?” (Construct Validity)

 Example: Tracing “size”

 Operationalization

– Belching Cows

Defining Survey Research



 Survey research is “a means of gathering

information that describes the nature and

extent of a specified set of data ranging from

physical counts and frequencies to attitudes

and opinions” (Isaac & Michael 1997, p. 136).

Historical Perspective of

Survey Research



 Ancient Egyptian rulers  Year 2000 US Census

conducted censuses (currently in progress).

(Babbie 1998, p. 255).  Population

 “Take a census of all the characteristics:

congregation of the – Race

people of Israel, from – Age

twenty old and upward” – Sex

(Numbers 26: 1-2). – Education

– Household composition

Is Survey Research

Quantitative or Qualitative ?



 Quantitative  Qualitative

 Closed-ended questions  Open-ended questions

 Examples:  Examples:

 Yes or no? (1 or 0)  “Elaborate on the artistic

 Rank from 1 to 5 expression found in The

 Temperature in degrees Dead Poets Society.”

 Number of votes  “Discuss your feelings

about date rape.”

Exercise: Name characteristics

that may be of research interest



 Quantitative  Qualitative

1. ________________? 1. __________________?

2. ________________? 2. __________________?

3. ________________? 3. __________________?

4. ________________? 4. __________________?

5. ________________? 5. __________________?

Wallace’s Wheel (Qualitative)

theory









empirical

hypotheses

generalizations









observations

Wallace’s Wheel (Quantitative)

theory









empirical

hypotheses

generalizations









observations

Essential Characteristic

of Survey Research



 Standardized questionnaire

 “…insures that exactly the same observational

technique is used with each and every

respondent in the study” (Babbie 1998, p. 8).



 Reliability (consistency)

Does Reliability Imply Validity ?



 Reliability = consistency in measurement

 Validity = “truth” in measurement



 See the bull’s-eye metaphor

Validity-reliability Bull’s Eye (Babbie, 1998)









Both

valid & reliable Reliable,

but invalid

Course Description, Objectives &

Performance Measures



 1. Qualitative & quantitative

 2. Sampling (probability and non-probability)

 3. Significance, confidence, nonresponse bias

sample validation techniques

 4. Validity, reliability, triangulation & modes of

analysis

 5. Survey instrumentation, piloting,

administration and ethics.

Course Objectives and

Performance Measures



 Learning Objectives  Performance Measures

 1. Develop a survey  1. 40%

research design

 2. Construct a survey  2. 30%

questionnaire

 3. Specify modes of  3. 15%

analysis

 4. Review and critique

instruments and designs  4. 15%

Citation of Sources



 Within the paragraphs that you write

 For both quotes and paraphrasing

 (author, date, page) – must include specific

page number

 APA style (or substitute style appropriate to

your major with permission of instructor)

Why?



 Intersubjectivity – we stand on the shoulders of

those who precede us (provides easy linkages)

 Committee Review - allows research

committees to go directly to the source as a

validity check (otherwise it could take hours or

days)

 Quick Reference – grad student to source their

material more quickly (Weber example?)

Optional Survey Research “Lab”



 Where: Irving’s, Starbucks or Saints Cafe

 Who: Krueger & grad students

 What: Informal survey research discussions

 Why: Advance your research and/or

understanding in an informal setting

 When: The week between our 2 marathon

weekends (3 or more students per lab)

Index Card



1. Name: (please print clearly)

2. Email:

3. Major:

4. Degree:

5. Advisor’s Name:

6. Why taking this survey research course?

Where do we start…?





Research Problem





Research Questions

or Hypotheses





Concept Concept





Variable Variable Focus Groups

(quantitative) (quantitative) (qualitative)





Measure Measure Measure

(scale) (scale) (scale)

Example: Tracing “Size”

 1. Wallace’s Wheel  7. Size hypothesis

reference  8. Size operationalized

 2. Problem

 9. Survey: size item

 3. Concept defined

 10. Size graphed

 4. Concept and size

variable modeled  11. Size correlated

 5. Size variable  12. Size regressed

defined  13. Size and concept

 6. Size in var. matrix summarized.

Exercise: “Belching Cows”



 1. Break into teams (time: 15 minutes)

 2. State the problem

 3. Write one research question

 4. Identify a concept

 5. Identify a variable for this concept

 6. Specify a measure for this variable

Debrief



 Assignments for tomorrow:

 Read Chapters 1 & 2 in Fowler (Intro &

Sampling).

 Read “Determining Sample Size” by Krueger

(handout).

 Comments?