Practitioner Research Group
29/06/15
Internet-based Surveys
Mixed methods
And
Collaboration
Aideen McDonnell
Senior Mental Health Social Worker
RSW, NQSW, BA Mod Hons, M.Soc.Sci, Msc.
Format of presentation
• Pros and Cons of internet-based surveys
• Mixed methods
• Survey monkey
▫ How to set it up
▫ How to collect responses
▫ How to analyse your data
• Tips and things to consider when using internet
based surveys
• Collaborative studies
Internet-based surveys
• Survey’s distributed online and completed
online.
• Self-administered
• Various different formats can be used
• Bigger and faster science
• Mostly quantitative (QUANT) but can be used
in a limited way for qualitative elements (qual).
Pros and Cons
Pros
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Low Cost
Wide Geographical Reach
Confidentiality
Fast
Target population
Automated data input
Convenient to respondent
Flexible
Can apply logic
Cons
• Limited exploratory
questioning
• Respondents must have
access to internet and
literacy
• Survey fraud
• Easily disregarded
Mixed-Method Research
• Must fit with your topic!!
▫ Choose topic first then methodology.
• Mixed Methods – combines quantitative and
qualitative methods.
• Concurrent or consequtive
• Equal priority or one part can have greater
priority.
Survey monkey
• Website that hosts surveys – both free and
subscriptions
• It will guide you through developing the
questionnaire
• www.surveymonkey.com
Analysis
• Software doesn’t analyse your data – you do!
• SPSS will generate graphs, tables, numbers
• Nvivo – will help to analyse qualitative data
Tips on internet based surveys
• Pilot your questionnaire.
• Define terms that aren’t in general use or don’t
have one defined meaning.
• There’s a fair amount of maths involved in
quantitative work.
• Short and sweet
• Don’t use language that biases the respondent
• Collect things like age as the number rather than
a category, if relevant.
Things to consider
•
•
•
•
Use logic in layout.
Likert scales – include a neutral?
Avoiding social desirability bias
There are different levels of data; ordinal,
nominal and scale. Make sure when you are
setting up your survey that you choose the
correct one!
Collaborative research
• Working with more than one researcher
• Tips:
▫ Consistency with terms
▫ Good communication
▫ Design to promote buy-in