SURVEYS

 

DEFINITION

According to Bhat (2023), the survey is a method of gathering information from a group of individuals by asking them questions. Surveys can be conducted through various mediums such as paper and pencil, online forms, telephone, or face-to-face interviews. The main goal of a survey is to collect data that is representative of the group being surveyed, allowing researchers to make informed decisions or draw conclusions. To create a successful survey, it’s essential to craft questions that are clear, concise, and unbiased, avoiding leading or loaded questions that could influence the answers.

CHARACTERISTICS

Surveys represent one of the most used techniques for collecting information on a topic or about people to describe, compare, explain or predict their knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors. Simply, it is a tool used to obtain necessary information (Bhat, 2023).

1. Sample and Sample Determination

First, a sample also referred to as the audience, is needed, which should consist of a series of survey respondents’ data with required demographic characteristics who can relevantly answer your survey questions and provide the best insights. The better your audience’s quality, the better your response quality and insights will be.

2. Survey Questions: How to ask the right questions?

Valuable questions are the cornerstone for the success of any survey and, subsequently, any research study.

The characteristics of the survey questions are as follows:

• Data collection: Whether it is an email, SMS, web intercept, or a mobile app survey, the single common denominator determining how effectively you can collect accurate and complete responses is your survey questions and their types.
• Fundamental levels of measurement scales: Four measurement scales are crucial to creating a multiple-choice question in a survey. They are nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio measurement scales without the fundamentals of which, no multiple-choice questions can be created. Hence, it is essential to understand these levels of measurement to create a robust research framework.
• Use of different question types: Multiple choice questions are the most common type of survey questions, in which some of the popular question types are: dichotomous question, semantic differential scale questions, rank order questions, and rating scale questions. Open-ended questions help collect in-depth qualitative data.
• Administering the survey: It is essential to plan the type of survey to ensure the optimum number of responses required for your study. It could be a mix of interviews and questions or a questionnaire. Interviews could be telephone, face-to-face, online, and questionnaires, personal intercepts, or web surveys.

3. Survey Logic: Skip logic and branching

Logic is one of the essential characteristics of a survey. Using logic in a study is to move a respondent based on their current selection to a question. Survey skip logic and branching provide the ability to create “intelligent” surveys, meaning respondents can answer relevant questions based on their answers to screening questions. The characteristics include:

• Design: In this phase, the users design their logic and set it up so that irrelevant questions to each respondent don’t appear as part of the survey.
• Application: Survey logic can be applied using conditional or unconditional branching. Other parameters that form the basis of a logic depending on the objective of the study, are piping data, question randomization, link quota, etc.

4. Survey Methods

Survey methodology studies the in-depth sampling of individual units from a population and administering data collection techniques on that sample. It includes instruments or processes that ask different question types to a predefined sample, to conduct data collection, and increase the survey response rate.

The two distinctive member types are professionals in the field that focus on empirical survey errors and others that work to design surveys and reduce them. The primary tasks of an admin while deploying a survey is to identify and create samples, validate test questions, select the mode to administer questions, and verify data collection methods, statistical analysis, and data reporting

Survey Methods based on Design

Research studies are of the following types:

• Cross-sectional studies: Cross-sectional study is an observational research type that analyzes data of variables collected at one given point of time across a sample population. Population or a predefined subset. This study type is also known as cross-sectional analysis, transverse study, or prevalence study. The data gathered in a cross-sectional study is from people who are similar in all variables except the one under study. This variable remains constant throughout the cross-sectional study.
• Longitudinal studies: Longitudinal study is an observational study employing continuous or repeated measures to follow particular individuals over a prolonged period, often years or decades. The longitudinal research collects data that is either qualitative or quantitative. In a longitudinal study, respondents are under observation over a period, ranging from months to decades, to observe any changes in them or their attitudes. For example, a researcher wants to find out which disease affects young boys (in the age group of 10-15). Then, the researcher will observe the individuals over that period to collect meaningful data.
• Correlational studies: Correlational study is a non-experimental type of research design where two distinct variables are studied. Statistical analysis helps to examine the relationship between them without the interference of external “variables.” This study aims to understand the change and level of change in one of the two variables in the study if the other variable changes. For example, if an ice cream truck has a jingle that can be loudly heard, people start to understand which ice cream truck is in the neighborhood and how far it is from the person’s location.

5- Survey Data Collection

The methods used to collect survey data have evolved with time. Researchers have increasingly moved away from paper surveys to using quick, online questionnaires for survey data collection methods, has their pros and cons. In most cases, the researcher has to use different ways to collect the requisite data from a sample.

The survey response rates of each method vary as multiple factors like time, interest, incentive, etc. play a role in the data collection process.

In the section above, we have looked at survey data collection methods based on design, cross-sectional research, and longitudinal surveys. This method will look at the four main survey data collection methods based on their implementation. They are:

• Online: Online surveys have now become the most widely used survey data collection method. A wide variety of advanced and straightforward question types are available in online surveys. The data collection and data analysis are now structured and easy to manage. The survey response online is very high compared to other research options.
• Telephone: Telephone surveys are cheaper than face-to-face surveys and less time-consuming. Contacting respondents via the telephonic medium requires less effort and human resources. Still, the survey response rate could be debatable as respondents aren’t very trusting to give out information on the call. In this survey data collection method, the researcher also has less scope to digress from the survey flow.
• Face-to-face: Face-to-face surveys are on the most widely used methods of survey data collection. The survey response rate in this survey data collection method is always higher because the respondent trusts the researcher since it is in-person. The survey design in this research method is planned well in advance, but there is much scope to digress to collect in-depth data.

6. Survey Data Analysis

When you conduct a survey, you must have access to its analytics. While manual surveys based on pen and paper or excel sheets require the additional workforce to be analyzed by experienced data analysts, it becomes much simpler when using an online survey platform.

Statistical analysis can be conducted on this survey data to make sense of all the data that has been collected. There are multiple methods of survey data analysis, mostly for what is quantitative data. Most of the commonly used types are:

• Cross-tabulation is one of the most straightforward statistical analysis tools that use a basic tabulation framework to make sense of data. Raw survey data can be daunting, but structuring that data into a table helps draw parallels between different research parameters. It involves data that is mutually exclusive to each other.
• Trend analysis provides the ability to look at survey data over a long period. This statistical analysis method of survey data helps plot aggregated response data over time, which helps to conclude the change in respondent perception over time.
• MaxDiff analysis is a research technique to help understand customer preferences across multiple parameters. For example, a product’s pricing, features, marketing, etc., become the basis for Maxdiff analysis. In a simplistic form, this method is also called the “best-worst” method. This method is similar to conjoint analysis but much easier to implement.
•  Conjoint analysis is an advanced statistical research method that aims to understand a person’s choices in selecting a product or service. This method offers in-depth insights into what is vital to customers and what parameters sway their purchasing decisions.
• TURF Analysis or Total Unduplicated Reach and Frequency Analysis, is a statistical research methodology that assesses the total market reach of a product, service, or mix of both. Organizations widely use this method to understand at what frequency their messaging is reaching the audience and if that needs tweaking. TURF Analysis is widely used to formulate and measure the success of go-to-market strategies.
• Gap analysis uses a side-by-side matrix question type that helps regulate the difference between expected performance and actual performance. This statistical method for survey data helps understand what has to move production from practical to planned performance.
• SWOT analysis, another widely used statistical way organizes survey data into data that represents strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization or product or service that provides a holistic picture of competition. This method helps to create effective business strategies.
• Text analysis is an advanced statistical method where intelligent tools make sense of and quantify or fashion qualitative and open-ended data into easily understandable data. This method is applied to unstructured data.

MAIN USES

Survey research is a quantitative method in which researchers ask questions to a group of people in order to gain their feedback about a certain topic. A set of predetermined questions are asked of an entire group of people (or a sample of that group). There are a lot of different types of survey methods. Each has its advantages. The main types are online surveys, mail surveys, telephone surveys, and personal interviews. Online survey research is one of the most popular. Its main advantages are its low cost and flexibility. Online surveys are easy to create and generate a large amount of data (SurveyPlanet, n.d).

Although online surveys have multiple uses other than conducting research, there are several circumstances in which regularly using them to collect insight is wise. If you’re wondering when to use a survey, one of the first questions is to determine if survey research is the right method if gaining insights into any of the following topics is the goal (SurveyPlanet, n.d):

• Market research

One of the most common uses of online surveys, this is a crucial step in launching a successful business, maintaining an already successful one, or determining the success of a new product. Companies use market research to better understand their audience’s needs and preferences and to make important business decisions.

• Employee satisfaction

On the other side of the business, companies use online surveys to better understand their workers. An employee satisfaction survey provides the necessary insights to improve workplace satisfaction and retention rates.

• Exit interview

Although proper survey research methods can help improve a workplace, this doesn’t mean every employee will stick around for life. When it’s time to part ways, an exit interview survey will identify the reasons why an employee left and develop insight into what the company can do to prevent others from leaving.

• Customer satisfaction

Employee retention is crucial, but so too is customer retention. It’s much easier to nurture current customers into becoming repeat buyers than it is to find new ones. Well-designed survey methodology can help a business retain customers. Therefore, customer satisfaction surveys should be used to find out what it will take to keep customers happy and coming back for more.

• Brand awareness

Are people aware that your brand exists? Find out by using brand awareness surveys. Discover what the public thinks of your brand and how this compares to industry rivals. Such insights help companies stay ahead of competitors and enhance brand awareness.

• Event evaluation

How well did that event go? Using an evaluation survey will give planners insight into which aspects of their function went well and what they need to do to make future events better.

If you want precise information about any of the topics listed above, survey research is the best way to get it—and an online survey is the easiest kind to carry out. There are also several other reasons why survey research methodology might be the most appropriate one.

ADVANTAGES AND DISAVANTAGES

So, let’s look at the bad and the good sides of survey methods. With this explanation, you will understand the term better. Why are surveys relevant and what are the drawbacks? Also, note that these advantages and disadvantages cover all survey methods (Anon, n.d.).

Advantage of Survey Method

• Surveys, particularly online surveys, are quite less expensive, talking about the cost for each participant. It’s the phone interview that tends to be more expensive. With online surveys, the response might run into hundreds of thousands.  

• There’s a high possibility that you might receive candid responses from your surveyees. That’s because of the anonymity attached to surveys, anyway. So, if you want to get an unbiased reaction from respondents, the survey is a much better option than other research methodologies.  

• The data collated from an online survey tends to be more reliable, which is the aim of every survey.  

• Surveys are quite a breeze to administer.  

• They can prove helpful for academic, health, or business purpose. For business, information gathered from research can help companies to plan their market strategy, sales promotion, advertising media, and market variables.  

Disadvantages of Survey Method

• The response rate, when sending out emails, are sometimes very low.  

• Your audience also matters a great deal when it comes to the outcome of a survey. If you are dealing with a low literacy audience, online surveys might not be appropriate. These respondents aren’t used to or regular on the internet. So, you might not achieve your goal of the survey.  

• Surveys, particularly the face-to-face survey method, can be quite expensive. In addition to being financially draining, face-to-face surveys also consume a lot of time. You might have made up your mind to stay for 30 minutes and end up staying longer.  

• Rigidity is another disadvantage and a significant issue for surveys. When crafting the questions, you need to take into consideration every single question you are interested in asking. Failure to do so will cause you to miss out on specific information. That’s because respondents may not provide answers for questions not captured in the survey sheet or form.

• The answers given by the respondent might produce unclear data. That’s because the respondents might interpret or respond to the questions differently. Whether online or face-to-face surveys, it can still happen.