Conducts Surveys,

Experiments or Observations
OBJECTIVES

∙ To define Surveys, Experiments, and Observations

briefly.

∙ To give ways on how to conduct Surveys, Experiments,

and Observation.
Do you have any idea on our topic/lesson today?
 Before we start our discussion,
What do you know about surveys, experiments and
observations?
We are in Data Collection Methods
SURVEYS
the collection of information from a sample of individuals through their responses to
questions.

EXPERIMENTS
investigate the cause and effect relationship between two variables.

OBSERVATIONS
researchers use all their senses to examine of people in natural settings or naturally
occurring situations.
SURVEYS
• Survey is defined as the act of examining a process or questioning a selected sample of
individuals to obtain data about a service, product, or process.

• Common types of example surveys are written questionnaires, face-to-face, or

telephone interviews, focus groups, and electronic (e-mail or website) surveys.

• Data collection surveys collect information from a targeted group of people

about their opinions, behavior, or knowledge.

• Surveys are normally carried out to obtain primary data.

• Primary data are the data that are gathered first hand to answer to
answer the research question being investigated.
Surveys are conducted by,

- Meeting the respondents in person

- Contacting the respondents through the telephone
- Conducting surveys through email
- Conducting the online surveys through the internet

Types of Questions in Survey

OPEN FORMAT

are those that provide respondents with a question prompt and provide them a space in
which to contruct their own response.

CLOSED FORMAT

alternatively, provide a question prompt and ask respondents to choose from a list of
possible responses.
To begin a survey, it is good to have a personalized cover letter (introductory
statement) that explains the purpose of the survey, the importance of the respondents
participation, the person who is responsible for the survey.

At the end, always thank the respondents for participating in you questionnaires.
ADVANTAGES
• Can be developed in less time (compared to other data-collection methods)
• Capable of collecting data from a large number of respondents
• Standardized surveys are relatively free from several types of errors

DISADVANTAGES
• Respondents may not feel encouraged to provide accurate, honest answers
• Respondents may not feel comfortable providing answers that present
themselves in a unfavorable manner
• Respondents may not be fully aware of their reasons for any given answer because
of lack of memory on the subject, or even boredom
HOW TO ORGANIZE SURVEYS

1. Plan ahead

2. Identify goals

3. Provide instructions

4. Length of survey
SURVEYS: EXAMPLE
EXPERIMENTS
An experiment is a method of data collection
designed to test hypotheses under controlled
conditions (often in a laboratory), with the
goal to eliminate threats to internal validity.

There are different experiment designs. In the classic

experiment, the effect of a stimulus is tested by
comparing two groups: one that is exposed to the
stimulus (the experimental group) and other that does not
receive the stimulus (control group).
For example,
The experimenter may give one drug to group 1 and
a different drug or a placebo to group 3, to
determine the effectiveness of the drug.
EXPERIMENTS: EXAMPLES
Using the experimental method, researchers randomly assign participants in an
experiment either to the control or treatment groups.

In a scientific study, a control group is used to establish a cause-and-effect relationship

by isolating the effect of an independent variable.
Researchers change the independent variable in the treatment group and keep it constant
in the control group. Then they compare the results of these groups.
Using a control group means that any change in the dependent variable can be attributed
to the independent variable.
Control groups are essential to experimental design. When researchers are interested in
the impact of a new treatment, they randomly divide their study participants into at least
two groups:
• The treatment group (also called the experimental group) receives the treatment
whose effect the researcher is interested in.
• The control group receives either no treatment, a standard treatment whose effect is
already known, or a placebo (a fake treatment).
The treatment is any independent variable manipulated by the experimenters, and its exact
form depends on the type of research being performed. In a medical trial, it might be a
new drug or therapy. In public policy studies, it could be a new social policy that some
receive and not others.

In a well-designed experiment, all variables apart from the treatment should be kept
constant between the two groups. This means researchers can correctly measure the entire
effect of the treatment without interference from confounding variables.
Example of a control group

You are interested in whether college students perform better in school if they are paid
for their performance. To test this, you divide several students into control and treatment
groups.

• You pay the students in the treatment group for achieving high grades.
• Students in the control group do not receive any money.

By comparing the average change in their grades over the year, you can find out
whether monetary incentives improve school performance.

Studies can also include more than one treatment or control group. Researchers might
want to examine the impact of multiple treatments at once, or compare a new treatment
to several alternatives currently available.
OBSERVATIONS
Observation is a way of collecting data through observing. This data collection method is
classified as a participatory study, because the researcher has to immerse herself in the
setting where her respondents are, while taking notes and/or recording.

Observation data collection method may involve watching, listening, reading, touching,
and recording behavior and characteristics of phenomena.

Observation as a data collection method can be structured or unstructured.

In structured or systematic observation, data collection is conducted using specific

variables according to a pre-defined schedule.

Unstructured observation, on the other hand, is conducted in an open and free manner in a
sense that there would be no pre-determined variables or objectives.
 2 COMMOM WAYS OF OBSERVATION IN PEOPLE

A. Participant Observation

researcher may interact with participants.

Participant Observation is a research methodology where the researcher is immersed in

the day-to-day activities of the participant.

B. Unobtrusive Observation

you do not interact with participants but rather simply record their behaviour.

Unobtrusive methods share the unique quality that they do not require the researcher to
interact with the people he or she is studying. It may seem strange that sociology, a
discipline dedicated to understanding human social behavior, would employ a
methodology that requires no interaction with human beings. 
OBSERVATIONS: EXAMPLES
• Observing interactions in public spaces, like bus rides or parks

• Observations related to age, weight, or height

• Spending a few months in a hospital patients suffering from a particular illness

Difference between Surveys, Experiments, and Observations

SURVEYS EXPERIMENTS OBSERVATIONS

• it refers to a way of • it refers to the way of • it refers to the

gathering experimenting estimated continuous
information something practically outcome variable goal
regarding a variable with the help of of predicting a
under study from scientific categorical outcome
procedure/approach based on a set of
people.
and the outcome is variables set of
observed. recorded values of
variables associated
with a single entity
mean of all variable
values associated
with one particular
entity.
 SIMILARITIES OF SURVEYS AND EXPERIMENTS
The similarity is that both surveys and experiments are the ways to find out information about a group of
individuals, which is then used to draw inference about the population.

SIMILARITIES OF EXPERIMENTS AND

OBSERVATIONS
They are the same in that they both use subjects and observe those subjects for results.

SIMILARITIES OF OBSERVATIONS AND

SURVEYS
They are not meant to have an impact on the subject(s) being studied.
ACTIVITY

1. Why is it important to conduct surveys, experiments or

observations?

2. What is surveys, experiments, or observations?

3. What is the difference of surveys, experiments and observations?