Unit 3: Lesson 2

Research Methods: Survey

Dr. Rajesh Agrawal

Associate Professor
Journalism and Mass Communication
 Meaning
The Survey method is the technique of gathering data by
asking questions to persons who are thought to have
desired information.
Surveys are concerned with describing, recording, analyzing
and interpreting conditions that either exists or existed.
The survey method generates standardized, quantifiable,
empirical data as well as qualitative data.
Surveys are mainly concerned with
 conditions or relationships that exist,
 opinions that are held,
 processes that are going on,
 effects that are evident or
 trends that are developing.
 SURVEY METHOD: Concept &
Meaning
Surveys are mainly concerned with

conditions or relationships that exist,

opinions that are held,

processes that are going on,

effects that are evident or

trends that are developing.

 Meaning
In this method a sample is drawn from a large
population and the information gained is used to
generalize about that population as a whole.
Surveys are usually appropriate in the case of social and
behavioral sciences.
Research design must be rigid; make enough provision
for protection against bias; and maximize reliability as
the aim happens to be to obtain complete and accurate
information.
Survey can be done in various modes such as Face-to-
face, Mail (Posts), Online (e-mail), Telephone, Mobile
etc.
 SURVEY METHOD: Uses & Needs
Survey needs:
A Well defined population
A sample, which truly represents the
population
A sampling size appropriate to the population
size
Quantitative and qualitative approaches can
be used.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF SURVEY
Specific Objectives: List down straight objectives of the
survey.
Straight forward Questions: Questions must be straight
forward which are constructed in a simple and crisp manner
to understand the questions by the respondents.
Proper Sample: It is important to select the right
respondents rather than asking every person.
Reliable and Valid: It is important for the respondents to be
authentic and the information provided by them is valid.
Accurate Reporting of Result: In order for the report to be
accepted by the target audience, it must be fair, true and
accurate. Credible reports include both negative and positive
results.
 Types of survey method
Census Survey: Its objective is to cover whole
population to get the basic demographic and socio-
economic data.
Sample survey:
Cross–sectional survey (Horizontal Survey): It
represents a particular population at a specific time. It
brings out the time perspective by asking what people
used to think as well as what they think now.
Longitudinal survey: To get more understanding about
how people’s view are changing at different levels and
timings.
 Approaches for Longitudinal Survey
 Trend Studies: Performed to study the general
tendency.
E.g. “To know whether women preferences for daily
soaps are changing over time.”
 Cohort Studies: As cohort means same group, the
population remains same over the time but new
samples are drawn each time.
E.g. “To study whether the graduates career intentions
changes over time.”
 Panel Studies: Follows the same panel of samples taken
right from the initial stage. It faces reduction in sample
size because it is difficult to trace all members.
 Common tools for data collection
Questionnaire

Schedule

Observation

Interview

Telephone

E-mail
 Basic Steps Involved in Survey Research
Planning: The researcher needs to decide on the
questionnaire and data-gathering technique that will be
used.
Sampling: It is essential that the sample selected be
representative of that population.
Constructing the Instrument: Construction of the instrument
which will be used to gather the data from the sample.
Conducting the Survey: It must be field-tested, training of
the users of the instrument, interviewing subjects or
distributing questionnaires to them, and verifying the
accuracy of the data gathered.
Processing the Data: Coding the data, statistical analysis,
interpreting the results, and reporting the findings.
 Advantages of the Survey Method
Surveys are an efficient way of collecting information from a
large number of respondents. Very large samplings are
possible.
Surveys are relatively inexpensive and time saving.

Surveys are useful in describing the characteristics of a large

population.
In sample survey few persons are required for the survey
work, so respondents can be administered from remote
locations using mail, email or telephone.
Many questions can be asked about a given topic giving
considerable flexibility to the analysis.
 … Advantages of the Survey Method
 There is flexibility at the creation phase in deciding how the
questions will be administered: as face-to-face interviews, by
telephone, as group administered written or oral survey, or by
electronic means.
 Standardized questions make measurement more precise by
enforcing uniform definitions upon the participants.
 As compared to other methods survey yield a broader range of
information.
 Surveys are effective to produce information on socio- economic
characteristics, attitudes, opinions, motives etc. and to gather
information for planning product features, advertising media,
sales promotion, channels of distribution and other marketing
variables.
 Disadvantages of Survey Method
A methodology relying on standardization forces the
researcher to develop questions general enough to be
minimally appropriate for all respondents, possibly missing
what is most appropriate to many respondents.
Surveys are inflexible in that they require the initial study
design to remain unchanged throughout the data collection.
The researcher must ensure that a large number of the
selected sample will reply.
It may be hard for participants to recall information or to tell
the truth about a controversial question.
As opposed to direct observation, survey research (excluding
some interview approaches) can seldom deal with "context."