Methods of collecting survey data

Summary

The video script discusses the importance and different types of surveys for collecting information. It highlights four main survey methods: telephone, mail, face-to-face, and online surveys, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Telephone surveys offer a random sample but can be costly and face call screening issues. Mail surveys are convenient and private but suffer from low response rates. Face-to-face surveys have high response rates but are the most expensive and time-consuming. Online surveys are cost-effective and allow flexibility, but require internet access. The choice of survey depends on the type of questions, accessibility to the target population, and the available time and budget. Researchers often consider multiple methods to gather comprehensive data, balancing the need for accurate information with practical constraints.

Takeaways

• 📞 **Telephone Surveys**: Useful for random sampling from large populations but can be costly and may face call screening issues.
• 📬 **Mail Surveys**: Can reach a wide audience through permanent addresses, offer privacy and convenience, but have a low response rate due to potential disregard as junk mail.
• 🤝 **Face-to-Face Surveys**: Expensive and time-consuming but generally yield higher response rates due to the personal interaction involved.
• 💻 **Online Surveys**: Cost-effective, especially with access to target population's email addresses, and allow for convenience in timing and location for respondents.
• 💰 **Financial Incentives**: Online panel respondents often receive small financial incentives for survey completion, which can improve participation.
• 📧 **Personal Questions**: For sensitive inquiries, mail or online surveys might be more suitable than direct contact methods like telephone or face-to-face.
• 🌐 **Internet Access**: The suitability of an online survey depends on the target population's internet accessibility.
• 🏡 **Hard-to-Reach Populations**: Special populations, like the homeless, might require face-to-face surveys in locations they frequent.
• ⏰ **Urgency and Speed**: For time-sensitive predictions, such as an upcoming election, a telephone survey may be the quickest option despite its cost.
• 📈 **Accuracy vs. Speed and Cost**: Face-to-face surveys, while time-consuming and expensive, can offer the highest accuracy due to higher response rates.
• 🔍 **Method Selection**: The choice of survey method should balance the nature of questions, accessibility to the target population, and the available time and budget.
• 📚 **Multiple Methods**: Studies may use a combination of survey methods to ensure a comprehensive reach and accurate representation of the target population.

Q & A

What are the four types of surveys mentioned in the script?

The four types of surveys mentioned are telephone surveys, mail surveys, face-to-face surveys, and online surveys.

Why are telephone surveys considered a good way to get a random sample from a large population?

Telephone surveys are considered good for random sampling because most people have access to a phone and phone numbers can be randomly generated.

What is a downside of conducting telephone surveys?

A downside is that they can be costly, and many people use caller ID to screen their calls, which may reduce the response rate.

How can mail surveys be beneficial for reaching a wide audience?

Mail surveys are beneficial because most people have a permanent address, and organizations can obtain a comprehensive database from the US postal service to send questionnaires to a random sample of people.

What are some drawbacks associated with mail surveys?

Drawbacks include a low response rate, as people may mistake the survey for junk mail or forget to complete and return it.

Why might face-to-face surveys have a higher response rate compared to other types?

Face-to-face surveys have a higher response rate because people are more likely to agree to answer a survey when asked by someone in person.

What is an advantage of online surveys in terms of cost?

Online surveys are generally much cheaper than telephone, mail, and face-to-face surveys, especially when the target population's email addresses are already known.

What is an online panel and how is it used in conducting surveys?

An online panel consists of people who have been recruited or volunteered to take online surveys. They provide their contact information to a company or organization that then sends them different surveys via the internet, often with a small financial incentive for completion.

What are the three basic questions one should ask themselves when deciding on a survey type?

The three questions are: 1) What type of questions are you going to ask? 2) What's the best way of getting a hold of your target population? 3) How much time and money do you have?

Why might a researcher choose to use more than one survey method?

A researcher might use multiple survey methods to reach a target population to balance the need for accurate information with specific time and budgetary constraints, as each survey method has different strengths and weaknesses.

How does the type of questions being asked influence the choice of survey method?

The type of questions influences the survey method choice because personal questions might be better suited for mail or online surveys, while questions requiring video viewing necessitate an online survey.

What factors might make an internet survey inappropriate for certain target populations?

An internet survey might be inappropriate for populations that do not have easy access to the internet or for hard-to-reach populations such as homeless individuals who may require face-to-face surveys in locations they frequent.

How can the response rate and cost impact the choice between telephone and face-to-face surveys for predicting an election outcome?

For a quick prediction needed for an imminent election, a telephone survey might be preferred due to its speed, despite its higher cost. A mail survey could be too slow, while face-to-face surveys, despite potentially being the most accurate due to higher response rates, can be the most time-consuming and expensive.