Surveys are a popular primary data collection method and can be used in various types of research. A researcher formulates a survey that includes questions relevant to the research topic.
The participants are selected, and the questionnaire is distributed among them, either online or offline.
Objectives and Uses of Survey
- Surveys are conducted for the planning of national, regional, or local programs.
- They help to study the community’s perceptions related to the topic.
- Surveys are used in market research, social sciences, and commercial settings.
- They can also be used for various other disciplines, from business to anthropology.
- Surveys are frequently used in quantitative research.
Guidelines for Conducting a Survey
Before conducting a survey, you should follow these steps:
- Construct a clear and concise research problem statement focusing on what is being investigated and why the research is carried out.
- Formulate clear and unbiased questions for the survey.
- Test the questions randomly on volunteer groups and make necessary changes if required.
- Determine the mode of survey distribution.
- Schedule the timing of the survey.
- Use a professional tone, a scholarly approach, and an academic format for your survey.
- Ensure the privacy and anonymity of the participants.
- Avoid offensive language or biased questions.
- Take the opinion of the participants.
- Inform the participants about the survey.
- Calculate the time required for gathering data, analysing, and reporting it.
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How to Conduct a Survey?
The following are the steps for conducting the surveys.
- Define Population and Set the Aims of Your Research
- Select the type of survey
- Prepare a list of questions
- Invite, Record & Distribute Survey Questions
- Analyse the results
- Write your report
Step 1: Define Population and Set the Aims of Your Research
Before conducting research, you need to form a clear picture of the outcomes of your study. Create a research question and devise the goals of your research. Based on the requirements of your research, you need to select the participants. It would be helpful if you decided whether your survey would be conducted online or offline.
You need to select a specific group of participants for your research. The participants can be:
- A group of college students
- Hospital staff
- A group of people in public places
- Customers or employees of a specific company
- A group of people based on their age, gender, and profession, etc.
Sometimes it’s impossible to survey the entire population individually if it’s a large population. It requires a lot of time and effort. In such cases, you can select a group of people from the selected community, and it’s called the sample.
Example
- 50 customers of a company
- 40 students of class 12
- 30 boys and 30 girls of age 14-15
You can also use an online survey if your target population is large. It helps in getting the maximum number of responses within a short time.
Step 2: Select the Type of Survey
| Type of Survey | Definition | Pros (Advantages) | Cons (Disadvantages) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Questionnaire | Information collected via written questions distributed online, in person, or by mail. | Inexpensive, Time-saving, Easy to conduct | Answers may be dishonest. Some may leave incomplete responses. |
| Interviews | The participants are asked questions in person or on the phone, and the researcher records the responses. | In-depth, Flexible, Gestures visible, Clarifications possible | Time-consuming, not practical for large groups, needs skill, and Biased responses are possible. |
| Online/Web/Electronic Survey | Questions sent via email or text; participants respond digitally. | Easy, Quick, Inexpensive, Global reach, Flexible timing | Dishonest answers, needs computer skills, Hard to analyze some questions. |
| Rating Scales | Closed-ended, measures satisfaction/experience (e.g., 1–5 scale). | Quick, Global reach, Inexpensive, Easy to conduct | Dishonest answers, needs computer knowledge (if online). |
| Checklists | Participants tick statements about services, performance, or experiences. | Cost-effective, Easy | Responses may lack reliability. |
Step 3: Prepare a List of Questions
You can use various types of questions in your survey, such as open-ended, closed-ended, and multiple-choice questions. Most of the participants like short multiple-choice questions. Use simple and clear language to avoid misunderstanding. Avoid offensive language.
If you are using checklists in your survey to get feedback on a specific feature, service, or product, then write the statements based on your evaluation aims.
| Type | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Closed-ended Questions | Questions with predetermined, finite answers, such as (yes/no, agree/disagree, true/false) or a list of options with either a single correct answer or multiple choices. | Rating scales with points or stars to measure satisfaction. / Do you agree with this policy? (Yes/No) |
| Open-ended Questions | Open-ended questions require the participants’ individual answers according to their opinion, experience, and choice. The answers can be either one word or in full sentences. | What’s your opinion on women’s education? |
Survey questions should be specific, neutral, and easy to understand. Avoid double negatives or leading questions. Good phrasing ensures that participants interpret the question in the same way.
Validity and reliability are the most important factors that a survey must have. Validity ensures that your survey measures what it intends to measure, while reliability makes sure that your results are consistent if repeated. A well-phrased survey question has a perfect ratio of both validity and reliability, making our data more trustworthy.
Step 4: Invite, Record & Distribute Survey Questions
You can try out many ways to invite the participants to your survey. You can inform them through emails, texts. You can post your survey on social media or design a banner to display on websites to grab the respondents’ attention.
Record Responses: One of the essential steps is to gather responses from the participants. In most cases, people don’t pay attention to the survey questions or leave them incomplete. You can offer some rewards to increase the response rates of your participants. You can also promise to share the outcomes with your participants to improve their response rate.
Distribute Survey Questions: You need to decide the sample size (number of participants and responses required) according to your research requirements. It will help if you determine whether you are going to conduct an online survey or an offline survey.
Step 5: Analyse the Results
You can store the data in tabulated forms, charts, graphs, or you can print the data in the form of a spreadsheet. You can use text analysis to analyse the findings of your questionnaire survey.
You can perform a thematic analysis for the interview surveys. However, the information on the online surveys is stored automatically, and you can analyse it directly.Step 6: Write Your Report
The final step is to write a report for your survey. You need to ensure that you have met the objectives of your research or not.
In the introduction, you need to explain your survey’s whole procedure by mentioning the time and place of the survey conducted. Mention the methods of analysis you used in your survey.
A successful survey represents reliable feedback to the survey questions as evidence of your research. If you have online surveys, the responses will help you measure the participants’ satisfaction and positive or negative opinions.
In the section of discussion and conclusion, you can explain your findings by using supporting evidence and concluding the results by answering your research questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sampling is very important for surveys as it helps researchers to study a larger population by using a small group of people from that respective population, and saves time and resources.
Online surveys are not that expensive; they are cheap, faster, and reach a global audience easily, unlike traditional surveys, which are time-consuming and expensive.
Anonymity is important as it encourages participants to answer honestly and reduces the fear of judgment or consequences, which eventually improves data quality.
