chapter 11 direct data collection: surveys and interviews zina oleary

Chapter 11Direct Data Collection: Surveys and Interviews

Zina O’Leary

The Benefits Of Direct Data Collection

Surveys and interviews are key in social science data collection because they allow researchers to directly ask what they want, the way they want to.

Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage

Surveying

Surveying involves gathering information from respondents related to their characteristics, attributes, how they live, opinions, etc. through administration of a questionnaire.


Survey TypesSurveys can:

• reach a large number of respondents• generate standardized, quantifiable,

empirical data - as well as some qualitative data

• and offer confidentiality / anonymity.

They can be:• descriptive or explanatory• involve entire populations or

samples of populations• capture a moment or map trends• administered in a number of ways.


Surveys Conducting a survey capable

of generating credible data requires: • thorough planning• meticulous instrument

construction• comprehensive piloting• reflexive redevelopment• deliberate execution• and appropriate analysis.


Questionnaire Development

Questionnaire development should begin by turning to relevant literature in a search for existing instruments that might be drawn upon.

Questionnaire development begins with concept operationalization (turning abstract concepts into measurable variables). This often involves construction of various scales such as Likert, Guttman, and Thurstone.


Questions to AvoidPoorly worded questions:• complex terms and language • ambiguous questions • double negatives • double-barreled questions.

Biased/ leading/or loaded: • ‘ring true’ statements • hard to disagree with statements • leading questions.

Problematic for the respondent:• recall dependent questions• offensive questions • questions with assumed knowledge • questions with unwarranted assumptions • questions with socially desirable responses.


Response Categories Survey questions can either

be open or closed:• Open questions - These

questions ask respondents to construct answers using their own words. Open questions can generate rich and candid data, but it can be data that is difficult to code and analyze.

• Closed questions - These questions force respondents to choose from a range of predetermined responses, and are generally easy to code and statistically analyze.


Response Categories for Closed Questions

Yes / No - Agree / Disagree: Do you drink alcohol? Yes/ No

Fill in the blank:How much to you weigh? ______________

Choosing from a list:What would you drink most often?

Beer Wine Spirits Mixed drinks Cocktails

Ordering options:Please place the following drinks in order of preference

Beer Wine Spirits Mixed drinks Cocktails

Likert type scaling: ‘It is normal for teenagers to binge drink’ 1 2 3 4 5

disagree unsure agree strongly agree strongly disagree


Additional Considerations in Survey Construction• Providing clear

background information and lucid instructions

• Logical organization• Comprehensive coverage

without undue length• User friendly and

aesthetically pleasing layout and design.


Interviewing

• Interviewing involves asking respondents a series of open-ended questions.

• Interviews can generate both standardized quantifiable data, and more in-depth qualitative data.


Interview Types

Interviews can range from:

• formal to informal• structured to

unstructured• can be one on one or

involve groups.


Conducting an Interview Conducting an interview that

can generate relevant and credible data requires:

• thorough planning• considered preparation of an

interview schedule and recording system

• sufficient piloting• reflexive modification • the actual interview• and appropriate analysis.


Conducting an Interview

Conducting an interview can be an intimidating experience that does get easier with practice.

It is worth remembering that the main objective of any interview is to facilitate an interviewee’s ability to answer.


Conducting an Interview Two important considerations

in interviewing are:

1. Presentation of self2. Preliminaries

• be on time!• set up and check equipment• establish rapport • introduce the study • explain ethics.


The Questioning Process Listen more than talk In order to facilitate an

interviewee’s ability to answer you need to:

• ease respondents into the interview • ask strategic questions• prompt and probe appropriately• keep it moving• be true to your role• wind it down when the time is right.


Remember…• Your interview should ease the

respondent into main questions and themes with ‘sensitive’ questions only coming after the interview is in full swing.

• The questions you ask should be ones that facilitate rich answers. You will also need to consider what means you will use to capture these answers.

• As an interviewer you will need to be true to the researcher role and manage your subjectivities at all times.


chapter 11 direct data collection: surveys and interviews zina oleary

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