Survey Methodology

Examining the Feasibility of Using SMS When Surveying College Students

Examining the Feasibility of Using SMS When Surveying College Students

by | Apr 11, 2018

ext messages (also known as Short Message Service, or SMS) are more and more becoming the go-to medium of communication. This especially is the case for today’s college students, who seem to conduct their social and even business lives completely via their smartphone.

Scott Crawford and the team at SoundRocket looked at the data surrounding the efficacy of using SMS when surveying college students, resulting in a presentation at the 2013 American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Conference.

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Why We Do Checklists

Why We Do Checklists

by | Mar 7, 2018

It has been a while since I have communicated about the importance of checklists.  It feels that the time is right to do so again… as it will become a more and more important element to what we do as we grow.

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Research Wonder: A Case for Respondent Pre-Survey Rituals?

Research Wonder: A Case for Respondent Pre-Survey Rituals?

by | Jan 11, 2017

A couple months ago, I listened to a podcast episode called “Sports Superstitions” on a wonderful podcast called Fearless Conversations with Abby Wambach (which, by the way, is a wonderful podcast on a variety of social issues from the perspective of a professional athlete). It brought back memories of long ago (high school) days when I used to pole vault. For a long time I blamed my youth for the rituals that I would perform before and during competition.  How I removed the pole from its cardboard tube, the number of times I rocked back and forth before I started down the runway (three), and even the side of the pit that I used to jump off after I completed a vault (always the left)… 

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Web-Based Survey Testing: Seven Tips for More Effective Questionnaires

Web-Based Survey Testing: Seven Tips for More Effective Questionnaires

by | Sep 12, 2016

Testing a web-based survey is one of the most detested activities to many in the survey research business.  It requires patience, persistence, and tremendous focus. Finding someone who enjoys testing and is good at it is a valuable asset to any survey research team. 

A wonderful resource for many details about testing questionnaires (including a chapter on web-based surveys) is Methods for Testing and Evaluating Survey Questionnaires.

Here are seven tips to better web-based survey testing practices for your next study…

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Five Ways to Use Historical Survey Data to Improve Quality in a Survey

Five Ways to Use Historical Survey Data to Improve Quality in a Survey

by | Jun 15, 2016

When you find yourself surveying a population where significant information is known about those who are in the study prior to them completing the survey (such as in a longitudinal survey, a panel, or when the respondents are part of a known group such as a membership organization), such data can be used as part of the survey instrument design.  

While it is tempting to do whenever possible, when using such data, care should be given to how and when it is used…

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