Section 1
What is Survey Research?
Survey research is used:
“to answer questions that have been raised, to solve problems that have been posed
or observed, to assess needs and set goals, to determine whether or not specific
objectives have been met, to establish baselines against which future comparisons
can be made, to analyze trends across time, and generally, to describe what exists, in
what amount, and in what context.” (Isaac & Michael, 1997, p. 136)
Kraemer (1991) identified three distinguishing characteristics of survey research (p. xiii).
First, survey research is used to quantitatively describe specific aspects of a given
population. These aspects often involve examining the relationships among variables.
Second, the data required for survey research are collected from people and are, therefore,
subjective. Finally, survey research uses a selected portion of the population from which the
findings can later be generalized back to the population.
In survey research, independent and dependent variables are used to define the scope of
study, but cannot be explicitly controlled by the researcher. Before conducting the survey,
the researcher must predicate a model that identifies the expected relationships among these
variables. The survey is then constructed to test this model against observations of the
phenomena.
In contrast to survey research, a survey is simply a data collection tool for carrying out
survey research. Pinsonneault and Kraemer (1993) defined a survey as a “means for
gathering information about the characteristics, actions, or opinions of a large group of
people” (p. 77). Surveys can also be used to assess needs, evaluate demand, and examine
impact (Salant & Dillman, 1994, p. 2). The term survey instrument is often used to
distinguish the survey tool from the survey research that it is designed to support.
1.1 Survey Strengths
Surveys are capable of obtaining information from large samples of the population. They
are also well suited to gathering demographic data that describe the composition of the
sample (McIntyre, 1999, p. 74). Surveys are inclusive in the types and number of variables
that can be studied, require minimal investment to develop and administer, and are relatively
easy for making generalizations (Bell, 1996, p. 68). Surveys can also elicit information
about attitudes that are otherwise difficult to measure using observational techniques
(McIntyre, 1999, p. 75). It is important to note, however, that surveys only provide estimates
for the true population, not exact measurements (Salant & Dillman, 1994, p. 13).
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