Conducting Survey Research in the Social Sciences

by Newman, Isadore; McNeil, Keith

• ISBN13: 9780761812272
• ISBN10: 076181227X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-09-17
• Publisher: UPA

Summary

Conducting Survey Research in the Social Sciences presents basic concepts and general guidelines for those who are interested in conducting a survey by breaking the process down into eight steps and twenty-three questions. It outlines the appropriate sequential steps necessary to help the reader initiate and develop a survey. Following each of the eight steps as depicted in the eight chapters and answering the questions provided enables the creation of an effective survey. The authors also include three fictitious vignettes to illustrate how the decisions should be made, and how proper survey research should be conducted to meet many different needs.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	vii	(1)
List of Tables	viii	(1)
List of Exhibits	ix	(1)
Preface	x	(1)
Acknowledgements	xi
Chapter 1. SPECIFY THE INTENT OF THE SURVEY	1	(6)
Intent Questions to Answer	3	(1)
Question 1. What are the basic questions I want my survey to answer?	4	(1)
Question 2. How do I plan to use the information?	4	(1)
Question 3. Who do I plan to survey to obtain those answers?	5	(1)
Additional Reading	6	(1)
Chapter 2. ASSESS THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES	7	(4)
Question 4. What assistance do I need in surveying people?	8	(1)
Question 5. What types of analyses are required?	8	(1)
Question 6. Are computer programs available?	9	(1)
Summary of Resource Availability	10	(1)
Additional Reading	10	(1)
Chapter 3. DEFINE THE POPULATION	11	(8)
Population Questions to Answer	12	(1)
Question 7. What is the population to which I am interested in generalizing?	13	(1)
Question 8. What are the characteristics of the population to which I am interested in generalizing?	13	(2)
Question 9. How does the accessible population differ from the population to which I want to generalize?	15	(1)
Question 10. How has volunteering affected my results?	15	(1)
Summary of Population Issues	16	(1)
Additional Reading	16	(3)
Chapter 4. REVIEW OF THE PERTINENT LITERATURE	19	(6)
Questions about Review of Pertinent Literature	19	(1)
Places to Look for Information	20	(1)
Electronic Sources	20	(1)
Question 11. Where can I look for information?	20	(1)
Question 12. What are the key terms for my literature search?	21	(1)
Question 13. What are the best sources of information?	22	(1)
Summary of Review of the Pertinent Literature	23	(1)
Additional Reading	23	(2)
Chapter 5. DETERMINE THE DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES	25	(12)
Mailed Surveys	25	(2)
Directly Administered Surveys	27	(1)
Telephone Surveys	27	(1)
Interview Surveys	27	(2)
Comparison of the Four Survey Procedures	29	(1)
Question 14. What survey procedure should I use?	30	(1)
Question 15. Should I use an existing survey, or develop my own?	31	(2)
Question 16. Who should administer the survey?	33	(1)
Additional Reading	34	(3)
Chapter 6. DEVELOP THE SURVEY	37	(12)
Item Format	37	(1)
Question 17. What are the item format considerations?	38	(1)
Psychometric Considerations	39	(1)
Question 18. What are the psychometric considerations?	40	(2)
Piloting a Survey	42	(1)
Question 19. What are the piloting considerations?	43	(1)
Training of Interviewers	44	(1)
Question 20. What are the training considerations?	45	(1)
Additional Reading	46	(3)
Chapter 7. DETERMINE THE SAMPLING PROCEDURE	49	(6)
Selecting the Sampling Technique	49	(3)
The Difference Between Random Assignment and Random Sampling	52	(1)
Question 21. How should I sample?	53	(1)
Additional Reading	54	(1)
Chapter 8. ANALYZE THE RESULTS AND PREPARE THE REPORT	55	(11)
ANALYZE THE RESULTS	55	(4)
Question 22. What analyses should I perform?	57	(2)
PREPARE THE REPORT	59	(7)
Thesis or Dissertation Format	60	(1)
Informal Reports	61	(2)
Question 23. How should I write my report?	63	(1)
References for Writing a Thesis or Dissertation	63	(1)
Additional Reading	64	(2)
References	66	(5)
Appendices	71	(31)
A Electronic Search Engines	71	(5)
B Sample Survey Formats	76	(8)
C Script for the Psychologist's Interview	84	(1)
D School Uniform Survey	85	(2)
E Phone Survey Script	87	(2)
F Population Size and Random Sample Size Needed for Representativeness of the Population	89	(1)
G School Uniform Survey, with Response Data	90	(2)
H Rating Scale for a Dissertation or Thesis	92	(3)
I Example Executive Summary	95	(1)
J Example of a Chart Essay	96	(1)
K Sample Size as a Function of Several Variables	97	(5)
Index	102	(2)
About the Authors	104