1 Week 4: Data Collection / Survey This week, we get to the point where we can begin designing the survey. The survey is an instrument used to collect information (data), which will later be reduced and analyzed. Surveys are one of the most common methods of data collection, as it’s easy, timely, and inexpensive (in comparison to, say, in-depth interviews, focus groups, observation and experiments). In Week 3, you gathered articles, which we call secondary data. Data is regarded as secondary when it already exists and has been gathered for a different purpose, then shared with others. This week, you are designing a survey instrument to collect primary data. Data is considered primary when it is collected for a specific study or specific research. Surveys can be designed to acquire data about participant attitudes, feelings, opinions, preferences, or experiences. When designing surveys, researchers also collect additional demographic data (attributes, such as, age, sex, marital status, education, employment, occupation, income, etc.) Demographics are collected for determining the types of participants represented by the sample and making comparisons among demographic groups. The most common methods of surveying participants is through personal interviews, telephone interviews, mail data collection, and online data collection. Online data collection is quickly becoming the easiest, most convenient, least expensive, and fastest method for surveying participants. In this course, learners (researchers) will use www.surveymonkey.com to administer their surveys and collect their data. Survey 2 monkey also allows for downloading to MS-EXCEL for simple, statistical analysis of the data. (We will try to keep the data analysis as “pain-free” as possible!) The free version of Survey Monkey allows for only 10 survey questions. This can be perceived as limiting, but, it also means that your limited questions need to have focus, brevity (keep questions brief) and clarity. Having a limited number of questions actually increases your odds that the survey will be completed completely and correctly. When designing your questions, focus on the vocabulary and wording in each question. Is the question bias? Are you using familiar words for your audience? Pay attention to grammar. Sentence structure is important if you want participants to be clear about the meaning of a question. Having someone proof your questions is a good idea. Questions must be applicable to all participants. Also, participants will always answer with broad, generalized thoughts or recall. Take this into consideration. Overemphasis of wording is likely to produce a bias question, so stay away from that! Especially, if you remember nothing else, DO NOT develop leading questions!! This is when a participant is asked a question that leads the participant towards a particular answer. Being a researcher means remaining neutral as possible, not to tarnish the data. To begin, you are depending heavily on voluntary cooperation of your participants. You will need to do everything possible to make your participants feel their confidentiality is protected and their responses are valued. Because this is an online questionnaire, your “cover letter” will be in the form of an email. You will introduce yourself (the researcher) with a short greeting, an short introduction of your study, an explanation of confidentiality of your study (how actual names will not be revealed), how long the survey will take to complete, their role of importance of the study, and what 3 they will receive (maybe a summary of your paper you submit to your professor??) You will emphasize that the survey is completely online and takes xx number of minutes. Then, in this email, you will provide a working link to your study. (Yes, send an email to yourself first to make sure you link works!) Be careful not to use a GROUP ADDRESS BOOK to send out these emails. Two problems: First, your email may be perceived as spam and stopped by a server. Second, others will believe it is spam & delete it! Send it out ONE EMAIL AT A TIME. (Did I mention, you will need participant email addresses to send out this?) Each survey should be designed to have (1) questionnaire instructions; (2) demographic questions; (3) survey questions; (4) defined scales; and (5) response options. Clearly written instructions tell the respondent HOW to respond to the questions. Don’t assume anything! Be clear. The Instructions should also define the scaling technique. For example, the very common Likert scale with five categories ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree” ordinarily requires simple instruction. You may say something like, “Please pick a number to show how much you agree or disagree and click on the button next to that answer.” You may decide to provide an “example” question that does not pertain to the study, to demonstrate a scale system less common. In regards to the demographic questions, stay away from the questions that may cause anxiety, fear or defensiveness. These would be asking about weight, religion, illegal drug use, questions concerning sex, social status, financial status, bad habits (like smoking or nail-biting), exercise habits, personal hygiene…I think you get the idea! The respondent would most likely not complete the survey from just those questions! 4 Now, before sending the survey out, have someone take a look at it and pre-test your survey. In this course, I would like you to invite a co-learner classmate to look over your survey questions, before sending them out for the real-deal. Ask your colearner to take the online survey, read the instructions, fill out answers & make notes along the way. This “pilot” will save you the pain and embarrassment in the long run. Ask your co-learner if they understood the instructions…if any spelling or grammar should be corrected or re-worded for clarity…if the scales made sense…if the demographic questions were offensive…and how long it took. Get their reactions and suggestions, then make the necessary adjustments before sending beginning the actual data collection. Once you complete the pilot study, you should be good to go! 
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