Introductory description

Surveys are a key method in empirical research across the social and data sciences, for example to study attitudes and public opinion, to test theoretical hypotheses, and to provide data for training machine learning models. However, designing a good questionnaire is a challenging task involving many decisions, such as question wording, question order and question layout. This module provides an introduction to survey design, covering each step in the development and implementation of a questionnaire. Students will design a web survey using Qualtrics, a popular survey tool in both the public and private sectors.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Week 1: Survey Mode and the Survey Response Process
This session provides an introduction to survey methodology, discusses different survey modes (face-to-face, telephone, mail and web surveys) and key elements of the survey response process.

Week 2: The Anatomy of Survey Questions, Question Formats and Formulating Good Questions
This session introduces the structure of a survey question, different question formats and discusses guidelines for formulating good questions.

Week 3: Question Order and Visual Stimuli
This session provides an overview of the basic principles of question order in a survey, different types of question context effects, i.e. when the presence of one question influences the answers to another question, and the potential effects of using visual stimuli, such as the content, size and placement of images in surveys.

Week 4: Conducting Experiments in Survey Research
This session looks at different approaches to survey experiments, i.e. how surveys can be combined with experiments.

Week 5: Ethical Issues in Conducting Survey Research
Following on from the discussions in previous weeks, this session provides a discussion of key ethical issues when conducting a survey and offers guidance on how to address them.

Week 6: Reading Week

Week 7: Bringing Survey Questions to Life with Qualtrics I
This session provides an introduction to Qualtrics, and students will learn how to implement a questionnaire using this survey tool.

Week 8: Bringing Survey Questions to Life with Qualtrics II
Students will continue to learn how to implement a questionnaire using Qualtrics.

Week 9: Pretesting Surveys
This session looks at different approaches to pretesting surveys. Some will be applied using the survey developed in previous weeks.

Week 10: Fielding a Web Survey
This session provides an overview of the key steps in fielding a survey, highlighting common pitfalls and what should be reported when conducting surveys, including response rates. Students will launch their own survey developed in previous weeks.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• To familiarise students with foundations and applications of survey research,
• To raise students’ awareness of the potential and pitfalls of survey research,
• To equip students with the skills to understand and undertake survey research.

Indicative reading list

Biemer, P., de Leeuw, E., Eckman, S., Edwards, B., Kreuter, F., Lyberg, L.E., Tucker, N.C. and West, B.T. (Eds.). 2017. Total Survey Error in Practice. New York: Wiley.

Callegaro, M., Manfreda, K.L. and Vehovar, V. 2015. Web Survey Methodology. London: Sage.

Couper, M.P. 2012. Designing Effective Web Surveys. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Dillman, D.A., Smyth, J.D. and Christian, L.M. 2014. Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys. The Tailored Design Method. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Fowler, F.J. 2014. Survey Research Methods. Fifth ed. Los Angeles: SAGE.

Gideon L. (Ed.). 2012. Handbook of Survey Methodology for the Social Sciences. New York: Springer.

Groves, R.M., Fowler, Jr. F.J., Couper, M.P., Lepkowski J.M., Singer, E. and Tourangeau, R. 2009. Survey Methodology (second edition). Hoboken N.J: Wiley.

Leeuw, In E.D.d., Hox, J.J. and Dillman, D. A. (Eds.). 2008. International Handbook of Survey Methodology. New York: Routledge.

Mutz, DC. 2011. Population-Based Survey Experiments. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Tourangeau, R., Rips, L.J. and Rasinski, K. 2009. The Psychology of Survey Response. 10thed. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Research element

Development of own web survey.

Interdisciplinary

Survey methodology crosses several disciplinary boundaries and benefits from the insights of different social science disciplines.

Subject specific skills

Systematic understanding, coherent and detailed knowledge of key concepts and approaches of survey methodology and survey research

Ability to describe and comment on the advantages and pitfalls of different survey designs

Ability to conduct (web) survey research

Transferable skills

Developing and conducting own web survey,

Exercise of initiative and personal responsibility,

Decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts when designing and conducting a survey.