HW32982
HW32982
ADMINISTRATION OF SURVEYS
A survey is conducted to give a direction to the research, by collecting the information required.
The scale and method of conducting a survey depends to a great extent upon the kind of
research being done, and the hypothesis which the researcher has set out to prove. Deciding
the scope of survey and selecting the right target group for survey can be difficult at a primary
stage.
Survey Administration Methods
Basically, there are two classifications of approaches in administering a survey:
personal approach and
self-administered approach.
A personal approach survey can be a face-to-face interview or a telephone interview. A face-
to-face interview generally generates a good response rate; however, it presents a higher
likelihood for bias as a result of the interplay between the surveyor and the surveyee. On the
contrary, a telephone survey offers better obscurity and confidentiality compared to a face-to-
face interview. Be that as it may, this type of survey is impractical to use of there are lengthy
questions involved.
A self-administered approach includes paper-and-pencil survey, online survey, and mail
survey. A paper-and-pencil survey is suggested if the respondents have no access to computers
or they do not know how to use a computer. The downside of this survey is that it is time-
consuming for the survey forms have to be manually disseminated. Survey administrators are
also required to be physically present during the entire data collection process.
Pointers in Conducting Survey Administration
Approach for Collecting Data– Can the data be collected elsewhere? Is there already an existing
data for this topic? What method is optimal for this area of concern? Will random sampling
work? Questions like these need to be considered when deciding for the data sampling
technique.
Survey Length– Always keep the survey short. Keep in mind that you’re asking for the data
you need to know, not those that you like to know.
Survey Questions– Obtain diverse responses on your survey questions. Be on point.
Remember to ask yourself if you are asking the question, you think you are asking.
Survey Timing– According to research, you can get the best response rates if the surveys were
sent out or conducted on Mondays.
Survey Request– Make your surveys catchy, appealing, and fun. Do not forget to indicate the
survey’s completion time. Is your survey a matter of social responsibility? Or incentive-driven
research?
Survey Structure– Since it is common for respondents to drop out as the survey keep going,
ask the important questions right away. Also, refrain from leading and confusing questions.
When there is a scale for options, include an even number of options. This causes the
respondents to establish an opinion, whether they concur or dissent, against to being indifferent
or neutral.
Survey modes of administration
There are five ways to administer surveys
1. The one-on-one mode of administration is feasible when giving tests and psychological
instruments. This method is very time-intensive but can yield thick and rich qualitative
data related to the participant's cognitions, feelings, and behaviours. It is not suitable
for gathering large amounts of data from a population.
2. Group administration is often employed in testing environments for instruments such
as the ACT, SAT, GRE, MCAT, and others. This mode has the benefit of an immediate
response rate and proctoring which can lead to stronger observations of the participants
in their natural environment. There is also the increased sample size which is needed to
conduct psychometric analyses.
3. Telephone administration is by far the most taxing and archaic method for collecting
survey data. The entire survey, including informed consent, instructions, items,
responses, and demographic questions, has to be read to participants. A standardized
script must also be used by the administrators while also attempting to establish a sense
of rapport with participants.
4. Postal mail administration is the most traditional method for collecting survey data. The
United States Census Bureau collects data using postal mail, as does many commercial
and non-commercial entities. There are the primary advantages of giving participants
incentives for taking a survey and also allowing them to interact with something
tangible. The primary disadvantage of this mode is that the researchers are putting a lot
of faith into the potential participants to fill the survey out correctly AND mail it back
upon completion.
5. Electronic (or email) administration is by far the most feasible, practical, and
technologically savvy method for conducting survey research focused on gathering
large amounts of population data. With the advent of the internet and email, this type
of survey administration has become the "go-to" mode of administration for many
researchers conducting cross-sectional studies.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
https://nationalpublicresearch.com/services/survey-administration/
http://www.dissertationindia.com/survey-research-administration.html
Fill in the blanks:
Answers:
1. Administration
2. Parameters or Goals
3. Questionnaire
4. Concise
5. Data Collection
6. Informed Consent
7. Sample Design:
8. Sample
9. Random or Probability
10. Stratified
11. Convenience