Overview of Survey Research Methods
Large-scale research design procedures for collecting large amounts of raw data using questionnaires.
Conceptualization and Constructs
A concept is an abstract idea to explain how things work. Closely related, a construct is more abstract and developed for scientific inquiry
Operationalizing A ConstructWhen a research team operationalizes a construc, they go through a process of “breaking-it-down.” In other words, they create questions to reflect a construct. How would you operationalize …
Customer Loyalty
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Various Variables
Independent variables
Dependent variables
Extraneous (uncontrolled) variables Lead to spurious conclusions
• Use simple, interesting, non-threatening opening questions
• Do your respondents understand the question?.
• Use the funnel approach, asking broadquestions first
• Carefully design branching questions
• Place difficult or sensitive questions near the end
• Ask for classification information last
• Pre-test the survey
Guidelines for Question Quality(to control for non-sampling error)
Survey questions must tap into the research problem
A Funnel Sequence
How would you rate your last experience when eating at ABC restaurant?
Extremely Extremely Poor Poor So-So Good Good
How would you rate the quality of the service?
Extremely Extremely Poor Poor So-So Good Good
A question framed to give the respondent an indication about how he or she should answer.
Example
Do you feel that limiting taxes by law is an effective way to stop the government from picking your pocket every payday? Yes No Undecided
Leading Questions
A question that calls for two responses
Double-Barreled Question
Example
Are the food and service at the local Green Mill good?Yes No
Branching Question Example
1. Did you give money to Canopy of Care last year? ___ Yes ___ No{If Yes, go to #3.}
2. We are interested in why people do not contribute. The following is a list of answers others have given. Please tell me which, if any, apply to you.
a. ___ Someone else in my household had already contributed. b. ___ I did not have the money at the time. c. ___ I gave to other charities. d. ___ I volunteered my services to Canopy of Care instead of contributing money. e. ___ I volunteered my services to other charities instead of contributing to Canopy
f. ___ I did not give because Canopy of Care spends its money inefficiently. g. ___ None of the above.
3. To how many different charities do you think Canopy of Care contributes to? a. ___ 0-20 d. 81-100 b. ___ 21-40 e. More than 100 c. ___ 41-80 f. Don’t know.
Creating the instrument
Open-Ended Questions
the respondent can reply in his or her own words.
“What advantages, if any, do you think ordering from a mail order catalog company offers compared with local retail outlets?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Closed-Ended Questions response is “forced” does avoid problems (such as subjectivity)
of open-ended questions. But you can lose compelling data.
Closed-Ended Questions
Closed Questions
RESPONSES MUST BE ...
ExhaustiveMutually exclusiveShould have a “Don’t know”
Types of Scale
Nominal Scale labels and categories (e.g. gender, major)
Ordinal Scale order (ie., rank restaurants in order of preference)
Interval Scale (it is inherently ordinal) equal differences (e.g. temperature)
Ratio Scale Natural zero (e.g. weight, height)
Scale Characteristics
Order – numbers on scale are ordered Distance – differences exist between the
ordered numbers Origin – There is a unique origin
indicated by the number zero
Dichotomous Questions The simplest form of a closed-ended question. Nominal response
1. Where do you live?
A. Large urban area 1
B. Small rural area 2
Nominal Scale
Which of the following soft drinks do you like? Check all that apply.
Coca-Cola Mountain Dew Seven Up
Dr. Pepper Pepsi Sprite
1. Now that you have read a sample of the Wall Street
Journal, would you say that you would…(Check one)
Definitely buy it
Probably buy it
Might or might not buy it
Probably will not buy it
Definitely will not buy it
Ordinal Scale
Interval Scale
What is your overall opinion about each of these brands?
unfavorable favorableCoca-Cola 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Dr. Pepper 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Pepsi 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Sprite 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Likert Scale
How much do you agree with the following statements:
SD SA People who live in BH are rich 1 2 3 4 5 People who live in BH are sad 1 2 3 4 5
Semantic Differential
People who live in Beverly Hills are:
rich 1 2 3 4 5 poor friendly 1 2 3 4 5 snobby young 1 2 3 4 5 old happy 1 2 3 4 5 sad
Ratio Scale(numeric response)
Divide 100 points among these soft drinks according to your likelihood of purchasing each within the next week:
___Coca-Cola ___Mountain Dew ___Seven Up
___Dr. Pepper ___Pepsi ___Sprite
Age ___
Hierarchy of Measurement Scales
Ratio – the “elite” scale. Possesses order, distance, origin (absolute zero)
Data Analysis? ___________
Interval – possess order and distance, but not origin (zero point is arbitrary.
Data Analysis? ____________
Ordinal – ranking scales. Possess only the characteristics of order.
Data Analysis? ____________
Nominal – names, labels, tags. Does not possess order, distance, origin
Data Analysis? ____________
Scale Validity and Reliability
Validity: Does the measurement “mean” what you wanted it to mean? Construct validity
Convergent Discriminant
Predictive validity
Reliability: Has to do with how accurate the measure is