Overview of Research Methods
Understanding
of problem
Poor
EXPLORATORY or
SECONDARY
RESEARCH
Good
Objective
answers by
asking?
Need estimates
of prevalence?
Yes
No
FOCUS
GROUPS
Yes
SURVEY
Nature of survey research
◦ People naturally do what they do;
◦ you measure this through self-reports
◦ most typically in the form of
interviews or questionnaires
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Timing
◦ Past (“Retrospective”)
◦ Future (“Prospective”)
Agent
◦ Yourself (“Self Report”)
◦ Others (“Informant”)
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1.
Rates of occurrence
Product purchase, product interest, media use
2. Examines relationships
Between the cause (Independent Variable)
and the outcome (Dependent Variable)
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Quick and easy
1.
◦
Standardized
2.
◦
◦
Can get most any type of info in a variety of ways
Measuring a natural phenomenon
4.
People behave naturally, you merely measure that.
◦
Qualitative OR quantitative information
◦
6.
Offers consistency
Flexible
3.
5.
When fast info is needed
Numbers or words
Can examine subgroup differences
◦
e.g. separate analyses for gender or product experience
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1.
Respondent Problems
◦ Self-selection (non-response) bias
◦ Response bias


2.
Social desirability bias
Acquiescence bias
Administration Problems
•
•
•
Sample selection error
(Data) processing error
Interviewer error


Cheating or falsifying data
Unconscious cues
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3.
Many participants needed
4.
Cannot prove causation
5.
Limited time and complexity for phone
6.
Limited visuals for many survey forms
7.
Does not measure actual behaviour
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
Cross-sectional
◦ “One shot”
◦ Cohort: ask different people each time
 (same survey new sample)

Longitudinal
◦ More than one shot
 Panel: ask the same people at different times
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Person
Self
administered surveys
administered
Computer
aided or administered
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Face-to-face:
Door-to-door (in-home)
Mall intercept,
Executive (in office)
Telephone interview:
 traditional,
 computer-assisted
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Self-administered:
◦ Mail surveys
◦ Drop-off questionnaire
◦ Fax surveys
Computer administered:
◦ Email survey
◦ Web based (Online panels such as Zoomerang)
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Determining the Survey Method
• Precision
• Quality of Data Desired/Required
• How the Data Will be Used
•Budget (Cost/Benefit Ratio)
• Questionnaire Length
• Time to Complete the Survey
• Cooperation/Response Rates
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