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MSS 905 Methods of Missiological Research. Survey Research. Survey Research. The most widely used data gathering technique in the social sciences Can be well made and appropriate, but can also be poorly constructed and used inappropriately - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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MSS 905 Methods of MSS 905 Methods of Missiological ResearchMissiological Research
Survey Research
Survey Research
• The most widely used data gathering technique in the social sciences
• Can be well made and appropriate, but can also be poorly constructed and used inappropriately
• Produces information that is inherently statistical in nature
• Appropriate for self-reported beliefs or behaviors (see box 10.1, p. 273); not “why?” questions
Types of Questionnaires
• See Adler and Clark (2008), Chapter 9, p. 232-239
Good Question Writing
• Good surveys are smooth, non-threatening, unambiguous, clear
• Question writing is more an art than just a science
10 Things to Avoid10 Things to Avoid1. Avoid jargon, slang and abbreviations
• Use the language of TV and newspapers2. Avoid ambiguity, confusion and
vagueness• “What is your income?”• Monthly? Annual? Before or after taxes?
From salary or all sources?• Accurate response categories
10 Things to Avoid10 Things to Avoid3. Avoid emotional language and
prestige bias• Some words carry emotional baggage,
“What do you think about a policy to pay murderous terrorists who threaten to steal the freedoms of peace-loving citizens?”
• Prestige bias: associating a statement with a person or group that enjoy prestige, “Most doctors say that cigarette smoke causes lung disease for those near a smoker. Do you agree?”
10 Things to Avoid10 Things to Avoid• “Do you support the president’s policy
regarding Uzbekistan?” (very few have heard of Uzbekistan and will respond on the basis of their attitude toward the president)
4. Avoid double-barreled questions• Two or more questions in the same
question• “Do you have pension and health
insurance benefits at your job?”
10 Things to Avoid10 Things to Avoid5. Avoid leading (“loaded”) questions
• Suggesting the answer in the way you pose the question
• “You go to church, don’t you?”• “Should the church spend even more
tithing income on interior decorating?”• “Should the church allocate more of
tithing income to save lost souls in our community?”
10 Things to Avoid10 Things to Avoid6. Avoid asking questions that are
beyond people’s capabilities• People can’t always recall past details• “How did you feel about your Sunday
School teacher when you were six years old?”
• Asking church visitors, “What percentage of our tithing income should we be investing in our building fund?”
10 Things to Avoid10 Things to Avoid7. Avoid false premises
• You cannot begin with a premise which is debatable, and then ask someone a question about it
• “Our sanctuary is already open too early on a Sunday morning. Do you want it to be open an hour earlier or an hour later?”
8. Avoid asking about future, distant intentions
• “If we opened a branch church in the north, would you attend it?”
• Stay in the present
10 Things to Avoid10 Things to Avoid9. Avoid double negatives
• If you disagree with this question, “Students should not be required to take a comprehensive exam at the end of the course”, then you don’t agree they should not
10. Avoid overlapping or unbalanced response categories
• Categories should be mutually exclusive• “Are you working or unemployed?”
10 Things to Avoid10 Things to Avoid• Unbalanced: “Which of the Democratic
candidates do you support, Hillary Clinton or one of the others?”
Some Tips
1. Use a Likert-scale to gain responses2. I prefer a 5-pointer3. “Anchor” the two extreme positions (1
and 5) with clear opposites• “To a great extent” vs “Not at all”• “Strongly agree” vs “Strongly disagree”
4. In the question, make a clear statement to which the person needs to respond
5. Mix the response directions
Getting Good Answers
1. Be aware of social desirability bias– Respondents give the socially desirable
response (politically, ethically, etc.)
2. Avoid questions that test knowledge– Large majority cannot answer elementary
geography questions or id important political documents
– Respondents do not want to appear ignorant
% Very Topic Uneasy
Getting Good Answers
3. Make use of contingency questions – “if – then”– Saves time of those who do not qualify
4. Open-ended versus closed questions– Open is unstructured, respondents can give
any answer they wish– Closed restricts the options of the
respondent– Both have benefits and disadvantages (box
10.5)
Types of Surveys: Mail and Self-administered
• Cheap• No need for
presence of researcher
• Can be completed when convenient
• Anonymity• Avoid interviewer
bias
• Low response rates• Cannot control
conditions when questionnaire is completed
• No one to clarify• Someone else may
complete• Incomplete questions• Ill-suited for illiterate
Types of Surveys: Telephone Interviews
• 95% can be reached• Can be done long
distance as well• High response rates• Cheaper than face-to-
face, same benefits• Computer-assisted
telephone interview (CATI) & Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
• Higher cost• Limited interview
length• Not all have
telephones• Calling at
inconvenient times• Open-ended
questions are difficult to use
Types of Surveys: Face-to Face Interviews
• Highest response rates• Permit longest format• Interviewer can
observe non-verbals• Can use visual aids• All types of questions,
complex issues, extensive probing possibilities
• Highest cost• Training, travel,
supervision, personnel deployment
• Interviewer bias potential
Types of Surveys: Web Surveys
• By 2004 75% of US homes connected to Internet
• Very fast, inexpensive• Flexible: visual or
audio inputs• Cuts out the “data
entry” step (and costs)• International potential
• Could exclude older, less-educated, lower SES and rural people
• Sampling problems are formidable
• Privacy and security• Design issues: question
format, drop-down menus, progress indicators, move back