McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 2

Planning the Project

2-2

Information NeedsInformation Needs

Data CollectionData Collection

InstrumentationInstrumentation

Data ProcessingData Processing

Report GenerationReport Generation

Sampling DesignSampling Design

Forward Links

Backward Links

Steps in the Survey Process

2-3

Developing the Project Outline

1. List information needs by priority

2. Indicate the value of the information

3. Identify internal resource requirements

4. Specify sample size and design

5. Provide a mock-up of instrumentation

6. Note the scope of the response task

7. Describe the data collection method

8. Outline the data processing method

9. Describe the type of reports required

10. Summarize final costs and the timetable

2-4

Circularity in Project Planning

DataProcessing

DataCollection

SamplingDesign

InstrumentDesign

2-5

Information Value and Priority

• The cost of selecting a "bad" alternative or failing to select the best alternative would be high

• There's much uncertainty about which alternative to choose, based on existing information

• Research information is likely to reduce a substantial amount of existing uncertainty

2-6

Two Basic Objectives

• Get everything that is needed

• Get only what is applicable

2-7

Three Levels Of Priority

• High• Critical or essential information

• Medium• Substantial value for decisions

• Low• Background and support only

2-8

Data collection costs High Medium Low Low

Data collection time required Medium Low Medium High

Sample size for a given budget Small Medium Large Large

Data quantity per respondent High Medium Low Low

Reaches high proportion of public Yes Yes No Yes

Reaches widely dispersed sample No Maybe Yes Yes

Reaches special locations Yes Maybe No No

Interaction with respondents Yes Yes No No

Degree of interviewer bias High Medium None None

Severity of non-response bias Low Low High High

Presentation of visual stimuli Yes No Yes Maybe

Field worker training required Yes Yes No No

Comparison of Data Collection Methods

Personal Phone Online Mail

2-9

When Interviews Are Required

• Interaction with respondents required

• Some opinions discourage response

• Adequate mailing lists aren't available

• Must be done at specific location or time

• Instrument can't be self-administered

• Much data needed from each respondent

2-10

When Interviews Are Permitted

• Respondents are closely congregated

• They won't be embarrassed or threatened

2-11

When Personal Interviews Are Required

• Must be collected at a special location

• Respondents must have visual contact

• Interviewer must have visual contact

• Interviews are long or demands rapport

• Phone directories are inadequate frames

2-12

When Personal Interviews Are Permitted

• Appearance won't cause selection bias

• Personal encounter won't cause threat

• Companions aren't likely to interfere

• Respondents are closely congregated

• There is adequate time for data collection

2-13

Large Sample Sizes and Small Response Tasks

• Precise estimates of numeric values required

• Main interest in Individual items, not patterns

• Volume of info from each respondent low

• Self-administered survey requires a simple response task

Fixed level of funding

Am

ount

of

data

fro

m

each

resp

ond

ent

Size

of th

e

resp

ondin

g sa

mple

Large Large

Small Small

2-14

Small Sample Sizes and Large Response Tasks

• Only approximate estimates are needed

• Main interest is in patterns among many variables

• Amount of data needed from each respondent is high

• Interviewing permits a large response task

Fixed level of funding

Am

ount

of

data

fro

m

each

resp

ond

ent

Size

of th

e

resp

ondin

g sa

mple

Large Large

Small Small

2-15

Sampling Design Alternatives

• Random Sampling• Every sample unit has an equal chance

of selection

• Convenience Sampling• Some sample units have a greater

chance of selection than others

2-16

Sampling Design Alternatives

• Stratified Sampling• Subsample strata of specific proportions

are selected

• Unstratified Sampling• Strata represented in the same

proportions as in the population

2-17

Sampling Design Alternatives

• Clustered Sampling• Geographic areas are selected and units

sampled from each

• Unclustered Sampling• Sample units are selected regardless of

geographic location

2-18

Outlining the Questionnaire

1. Identify the topics to be measured based on the information needs

2. Order the topics in a sequence that will be meaningful to respondents

3. Tentatively select question and scale types for each topic to be measured

4. Draft sample questions and compose typical scales for each topic area

5. Organize the items into sections in a logical sequence

6. Compose a rough questionnaire draft outline to serve as a model

2-19

Spreadsheet Programs

• Frequency and Percentage Distributions

• Some Descriptive Statistics

• Scatterplots and Regression

• Tables, Charts and Graphs

2-20

Statistical Analysis Programs

• Complete Data Description

• Confidence Intervals for Estimates

• Measures of Relationships Among Variables

• Statistical Significance of Relationships

• May Do Tabular Reports

• May Do Charts, Graphs and Data Plots

2-21

Project Cost Elasticity

Sample SizeSmall Large

$ $

Survey Initiation

Report Generation

Data Processing

Instrument Composition

Sampling Procedure

Data Collection

Total Project Cost

70

% o

f Tota

lP

roje

ct

Cost

30

% o

f Tota

lP

roje

ct

Cost

2-22

Mail Survey Project Schedule Chart

Information needs

Sampleselection

Questionnaire composition

Mailing piece production

Mailing and field interval

Early analysis programmingData transfer

and editingData analysis, report writingFinal report to

clientFollow up

analysis, reports

Days From Start7 14 28 35 49 56 63 70 77 840 4221

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

End of Chapter 2