Conducting Survey Research

Abstract

This chapter is aimed at students and researchers who will use questionnaire surveys in their research. It describes the basics of conducting questionnaire surveys. It begins by exploring some reasons why a researcher or another may want to conduct a survey. It then describes different types of surveys, describing how they can be differentiated by time and delivery method, and explains that most are cross-sectional (one-off) and self-administered. It then describes the necessary steps in survey research, particularly aligning the survey to the research question, and identifying the audience at which the survey is aimed (sample selection). The chapter then details the various aspects relevant to survey and question design (closed and open questions), including how not to write survey questions. Good question design is integral to a successful survey and this is where most surveys fall short. The different types of closed survey questions, such as dichotomous, nominal, rank order and Likert scale, are discussed, with examples of each. Some logistics around distributing surveys are given, concentrating on online survey distribution, as this is the most common method used nowadays. Finally, the chapter concludes with a brief piece on survey analysis.