Designing Survey Strategies
Kevin Tagliabue
RES/351
March 13, 2013
Amanuel Gobena

Designing Survey Strategies Survey strategiesPart 1. Choose the survey method(s) you would most probability use for each research objective. Explain your choice(s). No. | Research Objective | Questionnaire Survey* | Observational Survey** | Experimental Study*** | Explain | 1 | You want to know what percent of the U.S population approves the President’s performance in the past two years | x | | | Each individual person conducted in the survey can only answer once, a questionnaire survey allows this process to be done quickly. | 2 | You want to know what percent of soda consumers prefer the New Coke | | | x | Having people try the new coke versus other soda brands is the best way to compare the results. Although, the experiment must not have any bias. For example, warm Pepsi compared to cold new coke can yield results. | 3 | You want to know how many miles per gallon your new car runs | | | x | This is done by observing how much gas is burned in comparison to how many miles driven. Allowing for only one gallon of gas in the tank and then driving till it runs out. | 4 | You want to document the life style of an Eskimo community in Northern Canada | | x | | There is no outside participation in this type of observation. If there is any interaction then the objective is yielded which can change the outcome. | 5 | You want to know how many minutes motorists spend at your neighborhood traffic light | | x | x | The experimental study may require testing instruments that cost too much. Cal Trans used devices made for counting and tracking traffic. Developing a similar device to mimic there tool may be efficient. Observing an intersection with a stop watch would perform honest results. | 6 | You want to check whether drivers yield to pedestrians at road intersection | | x | x | People will not be truthful when a survey is conducted. An experiment that requires extra precaution, walking across the street in a cross walk to see how many cars yield. Another way is to watch a downtown busy intersection and count the results. | 7 | You want to know whether motors respect “STOP’ sign at road intersection | x | x | x | This question is too veg to specifically define what is the best way to research the objective. People respecting stop signs can be defined very differently between people. A questionnaire will allow a better definition to what “respecting a stop sign” is and observing people to see if they fall into the definition developed by the survey can produce accurate results. Also, conducting an experiment to see if what people stated on a survey is truth to how they respond to respecting stop signs can be a type of research that can produce results. | 8 | You want to know whether UOP online students perform same as ground students | | | x | It would be impossible to develop a questionnaire and relying on the answers to be honest in this case. Observing students will not ensure their performance since most students keep their grades confidential. An experiment that requires students to take online courses and courses at a UOPX campus will mimic the best results in finding online students perform the same as ground students. | 9 | You want to know whether Advil relieves fever within 15 minutes | x | x | x | A questionnaire to doctors can produce accurate results to this research objective. Observing people with feverish systems and professionally administering Advil to see if there fever relieves. Experimenting the drug Advil to people, or lab testing on animals with fever like symptoms | 10 | You want to know if women live longer than men in the US | | x | x | There are plenty of ways to observe if men or women live longer. Such as reading the obituaries and calculation the ages of the people who have passed. The experimental way of conducting this research objective would be to acquire people to participate in an experiment and track the ages. This may take longer than needed to conduct. | 11 | You want to study the expenditure patterns of 20 households in your city | | x | | Observing the expenditures of 20 houses in a city would be the best way to conduct this research objective. | 12 | You want to know whether electric-engine cars run faster than gas-engine cars | | x | x | Observing electrical cars vs. gas-engine cars in different conditions such as traffic, environment, etc. will produce accurate research. Experimenting with electrical engines vs. gas engines in the sense of what is better for the environment and economical sensibility. |
* Individual or group interviews used to understand events and their ramifications and processes.**A full range of monitoring behavioral and non-behavioral activities and conditions.*** The manipulation of one or more variables by the researcher to determine the effect on another variable. 1. Part 2. In the following situations, decide whether you would use a personal interview, telephone survey, or self-administered questionnaire. Explain your choice(s). Survey Type | Personal Interview | telephone survey | self-administered questionnaire | Explain | 1. A survey of the residents of a new subdivision on why they happened to select that area in which to live. You also wish to secure some information about what they like and do not like about life in the subdivision. | x | | x | The results for this situation will require individual self-reflection. A personal interview that inherits going door to door and asking individuals in their homes can produce accurate results as well. | 2. A poll of students at Metro University on their preferences among three candidates who are running for president of the student government. | | | x | Individuals filling out a survey and choosing one out of three candidates can best be done by a survey. | 3. A survey of 58 wholesale grocery companies, scattered over the eastern United States, on their personnel management policies for warehouse personnel. | x | | x | Being able to fund projects that require traveling over the eastern United States may not be cost effective, but will yield great results. If the funding is not met for personal interviews, a questionnaire can be used to see how management policies are used toward warehouse personnel. | 4. A survey of financial officers of the Fortune 500 corporations to learn their predictions for the economic outlook in their industries in the next year. | x | | | Meeting with the corporate 500 front runners will give the best results because the face to face interaction will inquire deeper results. | 5. A study of applicant requirements, job tasks, and performance expectations as part of a job analysis of student work-study jobs on a college campus of 2,000 students, where 1,500 are involved in the work-study program | | | x | Developing a survey for the 1,500 students and asking questions that involve applicant requirements, job tasks, and performance expectations will best analyze the student work study group. | |
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