COMMUNICATION ENGLISH IIIOctober 4/5th 2012

Today• Introduction to Discussion Board.

• More Task 2 info.

• Surveys.

But first…• …a practice presentation (of course).

Practice Presentation• Look at the data.

- It includes a problem and some survey results.

- Take 5 minutes with your partner:

Decide on how to present the data and suggest ONE possible solution to the problem.

Practice Presentation

Presentation:

1. Attention-grabbing intro.

2. Mention the problem (briefly)

3. Present the survey results.

4. Suggest a solution (one).

Time limit: 3 min.

Skill• Posture.

Discussion Board

kacmboard.proboards.com

Discussion Board• You must register first.

• Please use YOUR NAME as your username.

Coolguy_13 is not your name.

Discussion Board• Test Postings due next Tuesday (11:59 p.m.).

Task 2 TimelineOct. 5: Survey rough draft (mini-pilot + discussion).

Oct. 10: Pilot (in-class) + Survey submission (submit to me for feedback).

Oct. 11 – 17: Data collection (do the survey).

Oct. 12: Looking at results and making interview questions.

Oct. 17: How to present results.

Oct. 19: Mini-presentation (survey results).

Oct. 24: Conduct interviews (in-class).

Oct. 26: Talk about presentations.

Oct. 31: Presentations.

NOTE: Formal information sheet to be available on the website.

Note about respondents

Try to get 25 – 30 respondents (use your classmates).

- Best to administer the survey through e-mail.

SAVE THE TREES! (and your money!)

Administering the survey• First, you must ask your respondents to take the survey.

• DO NOT just send it to them and say “do this”.

• Contact them (or approach them) and explain WHAT your research is and what you are doing it for.

• Then ask if they would (please) take a few minutes to fill-out your survey and return it to you.

Surveys

Goal: Collect information about peoples’ perceptions of your problem.

Length: 10 – 15 questions.

Focus on closed-questions.

Survey format

You may ask for simple demographic information at the top of the survey paper.

i.e.,

Age:

Gender:

School Year:

NOTE: You do NOT need the respondents names.

- Most surveys should be anonymous.

Survey format

The survey must also include clear instructions.

Please respond to Sections I, II, and III of the survey found in this document and email the results to the director and associate director of the USC Marshall School’s Center for

International Business Education and Research, Richard Drobnick drobnick@usc.edu and Suzette Furbeyre furbeyre@marshall.usc.edu, by April 18th.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Thank you for your time.

Good Survey Questions

Ask for an answer on one dimension only.

i.e.,

When was the last time you upgraded your computer and printer?

Good Survey Questions

Can accommodate all possible answers.

i.e.,

What brand of smart phone do you own?

A. Apple. B. Motorola.

Good Survey Questions

Can accommodate all possible answers.

i.e.,

What brand of smart phone do you own?

A. Apple. B. Motorola. C. Do not own a smart phone. D. Other (_____________).

Good Survey Questions

Are not dependent on responses to previous questions.

- Avoid “branching”…it’s confusing.

i.e.,

1. Do you currently have a scholarship? (Yes or No) If “No”, go to question 3.

2. How much is your scholarship for?

3. Do you have financial aid for tuition? (Yes or No)

Good Survey Questions

Are not dependent on responses to previous questions.

- Avoid “branching”…it’s confusing.

i.e.,

1. How much scholarship money do you currently receive?

Survey Questions

Avoid leading language:

“Don’t you think that…?”

“Don’t you agree…?”

“Wouldn’t you agree…?”

“Wouldn’t you like to…”

Question types

Multiple choice or yes/no (assess attitudes/opinions when issues are clear).

1. Which aspect of the course do you feel

is most effective?

a. Lecturing by instructor

b. In-class interactive exercises

c. Assigned readings

d. In-class videos

Question types

Scaled (determine the degree of a response, opinion, or position).

2. Re-reading the textbook improves my

performance on exams.

a. Strongly agree

b. Agree

c. Neutral

d. Disagree

e. Strongly disagree

Make sure the “neutral”, “no opinion”, or “don’t know” option is in the middle.

Question types

Ranking (determine the relative importance to respondents of various options).

3. Rank the following activities in this course

by how engaging you found them to be

(1 = the most engaging 4 = the least engaging)

__Reading the textbook

__Listening to the instructor lecture

__Watching videotapes in class

__Writing the term paper Do not ask respondents to rank any more than 5 items.

Reading• Please check the website reading about questions types

before you make your survey draft for next class.