Survey Research and Design

The module aims to provide students with an introduction to and overview of survey methods and its uses and limitations. It will introduce students both to some of the main theoretical issues involved in survey research (such as survey sampling, non-response and question wording) and to practicalities of the design and analysis of surveys. The module consists of four two-hour sessions, each of which has two parts.

The first hour of each session will consist of a lecture. The four lectures cover: the background to and history of survey research (with examples mostly drawn from political polling); an overview of the issues involved in analysing data from surveys conducted by others and some practical advice on how to evaluate such data; issues of sampling, non-response and different ways of doing surveys; issues related to questionnaire design (question wording, answer options, etc.) and ethical considerations. These lectures are relevant for all students taking the module, irrespective of whether they will conduct surveys themselves or are 'passive' users of survey results. Students who have attended these lectures will be able to evaluate research that uses surveys, in particular to understand issues concerning sample selection, response bias and data analysis; to appreciate and understand basic principles of questionnaire design; and to trace appropriate sources of data and appropriate exemplars of good survey practice.

The second hour of each session will focus more on the practical aspects of designing surveys and will feature some practical exercises. The focus will primarily be on issues directly related to questionnaires (and less on issues of sampling), such as the wording of questions, the order of questions, and the use of different answer options. Most of the exercises will be provided by the instructors (and we may provide opportunities to field successful exercises as part of YouGov surveys), but there will also be opportunities for students to bring in examples of surveys they would like to develop for their own research (and participants in the sessions may be asked to answer each other's surveys as a pilot test). We encourage all students registered for the module to attend these second parts of the sessions, but it will be of most direct relevant to who are using, or plan to use, surveys in their research. (It should also be noted that all students attending the second hour of the sessions are expected to participate and engage with the exercises.)

This module is designed for MPhil and PhD students as part of the Social Science Research Methods Centre (SSRMC) training programme - a shared platform for providing research students with a broad range of quantitative and qualitative research methods skills that are relevant across the social sciences.

Number of sessions: 4

• Session 1: The evolution of survey research [Twyman]
• Session 2: Using survey research data [Twyman]
• Session 3: Survey design: survey process, sampling, non-response, general principle of questionnaire design [van Houten]
• Session 4: Survey design: formulation of questions, response formats [van Houten]

Students who attend this course will be able to

• design their own evaluate research that uses surveys, in particular to understand issues concerning sample selection, response bias and data analysis
• appreciate and use basic principles of questionnaire design
• trace appropriate sources of data and appropriate exemplars of good survey practice

To provide students with an introduction to and overview of survey methods and its uses and limitations

Presentation only

• Sapsford, R. (2007) Survey Research (2nd ed). London: Sage
• Sue, V. and Ritter, L.A (2012) Conducting Online Surveys (2nd ed). London: Sage
• Buckingham, A. and Saunders, P. (2004) The Survey Methods Workbook. Cambridge: Polity Press.
• de Vaus, D.A. (2014) Surveys in Social Research (6th ed [or an earlier ed]). London: Routledge.
• Fowler, F. (2009) Survey Research Methods (4th ed). London: Sage.
• Groves, R. et al (2009) Survey Methodology (2nd ed). London: Wiley.
• Lee, R. (2000) Doing Research on Sensitive Topics. London: Sage.
• Lyberg, L. et al. (1997) Survey Measurement and Process Quality. London: Wiley

All students are expected to give feedback for each module they take...

At the end of each module, students will be sent a link to a very short evaluation form. They will also be able to find this link on the Moodle page for their course. The survey takes a few minutes to fill in, and can even be done on a mobile phone. Students that do not respond to the survey the first time, will receive regular automated reminders until the survey is completed.

Students will not be given certification or proof of attendance for any module for which they have not provided feedback.

• To gain maximum benefits from the course it is important that students do not see this course in isolation from the other MPhil courses or research training they are taking.
• Responsibility lies with each student to consider the potential for their own research using methods common in fields of the social sciences that may seem remote. Ideally this task will be facilitated by integration of the SSRMC with discipline-specific courses in their departments and through reading and discussion.

Four sessions of 2 hours each

Once a week for four weeks