Survey Techniques

Course Project

This assignment focuses on a draft of your supportive rationale and the outline for the questionnaire you plan to use to conduct the interviews.

Your assignment should include the following:

1. Project Title

The title should be consistent with your survey purpose. If only a small number of variables are being studied in your survey, the title should name the variables. If many variables are studied, only the types of variables should be named. If the type of population being studied is important, this should also be mentioned in the title.

2. Introduction

You should introduce your problem area and gradually shift the focus to the specific research hypotheses or questions. The significance of a topic should be explicitly stated in your introduction.

3. Supportive Rationale

The first draft of your supportive rationale should be presented in the form of an outline, and should emphasize findings from previous research. The supportive rationale should be brief, no more than one to two pages. Be sure to point out gaps in prior research that justify the need for conducting your study. You may also attempt to replicate a study that has been previously conducted. Peripheral research may be cited when literature with a direct bearing on the research topic does not exist.

4. Research Questions and Hypotheses

Following your supportive rationale, you should identify the specific purpose of your questionnaire. The research questions and hypotheses you previously developed should be flushed out here.

5. Survey Outline

Be sure to include a brief overview of the major areas/dimensions on the survey you are addressing; that is, the focus or foci of the survey, e.g., intentions, attitudes toward, etc. Each topic area should have its own sub-heading.

This section should include a description of how you will investigate each research question and hypothesis. What topic areas or question types will you ask to answer your questions?

You must include a brief discussion of the importance of each topic area with a reference to at least one research article or book that justifies each focus or dimension.

Also, think about the types of questions you will use in your survey to address these topics:

• How will you introduce each research topic?
• Will you use open-ended or closed-ended questions?
• Identify the use of time periods that are related to the importance of a question.
• How will you bridge between topic areas?

Format:

Your assignment should be in Microsoft Word 2000 or higher. Your paper should be double-spaced and in 12 pt. font.

Course Project

Submit the first draft of your survey that would be included in your research prospectus.

Be sure to format the draft as if the survey would be self-administered (i.e., online or mail survey).

A good survey includes a brief introduction as well as a clear request and appreciation for participation.

Be sure to provide clear directions for each section. For example, if you are asking the respondent to rank order some preferences for a product or things they find important when choosing a hospital or physician, make it clear how to score that. Likewise, if you are using a Likert scale to rate an item(s), be sure they know what a low value means (vs. a high value).

Use the following checklist while preparing your questionnaire:

• Determine whether you will use open-ended or closed questions.
• Phrase questions so the respondents can understand.
• Develop concrete questions.
• Identify the use of time periods that are related to the importance of a question.
• Use conventional language, unbiased words. Avoid negative phrasing.
• Clarify all potentially imprecise and ambiguous terms.