Survey Methods:

Communicating with
Respondents
Cooper & Schindler
Chapter 11

Method of Data Collection

Observational studies
Researcher inspects the activities of a subject or the
nature of some material without attempting to elicit
responses from anyone

Interrogative/communication mode
The research questions the subjects and collects their
responses by personal or impersonal means
Interview or telephone conversations
Self-administered or self report instruments sent through the mail
Instruments presented before and/or after a treatment or
stimulus condition in an experiment

Characteristics of the
Communication Approach
Questioning or surveying people and recording their
responses for analysis
Versatility
Abstract information of all types can be gathered by questioning
others
Opinions, attitudes, intentions, expectations

More efficient and economical than observation

Has its shortcomings
Respondents cooperation
Knowledge about the questions
Question interpretation

Measurement Questions
Observation approach
Conditions, behaviors, events, processes

Communication approach
Attitudes, motivations, intentions, expectations
Methods
Personal interview
Phone interview
Self-administered inquiry

Instrument Design

Figure 11-1

Impacts of Communication
Approach
The creation and selection of the measurement
questions
Sampling issues
Drive contact and callback procedures

Instrument design
Incorporate attempts to reduce error and create
respondent-screening procedure

Data collection processes

Create the need for follow-up procedures and possible
interviewer training

Personal Interview

Definition
Evaluation of the personal interview
Interview techniques
Interview problems

Definition
A two-way conversation initiated by an
interviewer to obtain information from a
respondent
The interviewer generally controls the topics
and
patterns of discussion
The respondent is asked to provide information and
has little hope of receiving any immediate or direct
benefit from this cooperation

Evaluation
Advantages

The depth of information and detail

Probe with additional questions
Gather supplemental information through observation
More control, prescreen to ensure the correct respondent
The use of special scoring devices and visual materials

Limitations

Costly
Time
Money
Interviewers bias

Techniques
It is important for interviewers to
Ask questions properly
Record the responses accurately
Probe meaningfully

Increasing respondents receptiveness

The introduction
If the respondent is busy or away
Establish a good relationships
Gathering the data
Recording the interview
Selection and training

Probing
A brief assertion of understanding and
interest
An expected pause
Repeating the question
Repeating the respondents reply
A neutral question or comment
Question clarification

Problems
Nonresponse error
Response error
Costs

Telephone Interviewing
Evaluation
Trends

Self-Administered Surveys

Mail surveys
Improving returns
Maximizing the mail survey
Self-administered survey trends

Evaluation--Telephone Interview
Advantages
Moderate cost
45 to 64 lower than personal interview
Economical when Callbacks to maintain probability sampling are involved and
respondent are widely scattered
Added saving in time and money when using computer-assisted telephone
interviewing is used
Computer-administered telephone interview
Noncontact rate
Refusal rate

Disadvantages

Telephone usage rate

Moving makes number obsolete
Interview length
Use aided materials

Trends--Telephone Interview
Answering machine
Multi-line households
Random-digit dialing

Mail Surveys
Advantages

Cost less
Greater geographic coverage
The respondent can take more time to collect facts
More impersonal
More anonymity

Weakness
Nonresponse error Costly Affected by interviewers
Return of 30% are considered satisfactory
Concerns the type and amount of information that can be
secured

Improving Returns

Follow-ups
Preliminary notification
Questionnaire length
Survey sponsorship
Return envelopes
Postage
Personalization
Cover letters
Anonymity
Size, reproduction, and color
Money Incentives
Deadline dates

Maximizing the Mail Survey

-- Attentions
The wrong address and wrong postage can result in nondelivery
or nonreturn
The letter may look like junk mail and be discarded without being
opened
Lack of proper instructions for completion leads to nonresponse
The wrong person opens the letter and fails to call it to the
attention of the right person
A respondent temporarily sets the questionnaire aside and fails
to complete it
The return address is lost so the questionnaire cannot be return

Maximizing the Mail Survey

--Follow-up
One week later
Preprinted postcard thanking them for return

Three weeks after the original mailing

A new questionnaire
repeating the basic appeal

Seven weeks after the original mailing

A third cover letter and questionnaire