How to Execute a Successful Survey
Determine what you’re measuring., Figure out your survey size., Set your area., Choose your method.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine what you’re measuring.
The more specific, the better.
Think about your main objective and how you can narrow your survey to achieve that objective.
For example
-- are you trying to find out which political party’s message has more resonance? You could ask respondents which party they will vote for and why.
It could be that it’s not even about ideology, but about the candidates themselves, and your survey takers will let you know that.
Typical surveys include those that measure:
Political choices or leanings Health data Income and labor information Child development statistics Eating and food habits Exercise and wellness patterns -
Step 2: Figure out your survey size.
The sampling size is important.
Too large and it could be extremely time consuming and expensive to analyze, too small, and you may not achieve an accurate portrayal of the information you are seeking.
For each survey, your sample size might be different.
You need to consider the following factors when determining how many people you’re going to survey:
How much money do I have to complete the survey? What kinds of analysis am I going to do with this data, and will it include subgroups? What kind of margin of error am I willing to tolerate? What is the population size for the group I am surveying? , Local or national, the type of information you desire will dictate the areas you need to cover.
Do you want to focus on a particular neighborhood or town, or are you looking for national trends? Once you have set your area, you should consider how your methods can help narrow the survey to only the people in the zone you have chosen. , Most surveys are carried out over the phone, on the computer, or in person.
Figure out which method or methods are the most effective for the population you have chosen to survey.
If you’re going to do a phone survey, how will you get people’s numbers? For a computer survey, where will their email addresses come from? Consider the positives and negatives to each method. -
Step 3: Set your area.
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Step 4: Choose your method.
Detailed Guide
The more specific, the better.
Think about your main objective and how you can narrow your survey to achieve that objective.
For example
-- are you trying to find out which political party’s message has more resonance? You could ask respondents which party they will vote for and why.
It could be that it’s not even about ideology, but about the candidates themselves, and your survey takers will let you know that.
Typical surveys include those that measure:
Political choices or leanings Health data Income and labor information Child development statistics Eating and food habits Exercise and wellness patterns
The sampling size is important.
Too large and it could be extremely time consuming and expensive to analyze, too small, and you may not achieve an accurate portrayal of the information you are seeking.
For each survey, your sample size might be different.
You need to consider the following factors when determining how many people you’re going to survey:
How much money do I have to complete the survey? What kinds of analysis am I going to do with this data, and will it include subgroups? What kind of margin of error am I willing to tolerate? What is the population size for the group I am surveying? , Local or national, the type of information you desire will dictate the areas you need to cover.
Do you want to focus on a particular neighborhood or town, or are you looking for national trends? Once you have set your area, you should consider how your methods can help narrow the survey to only the people in the zone you have chosen. , Most surveys are carried out over the phone, on the computer, or in person.
Figure out which method or methods are the most effective for the population you have chosen to survey.
If you’re going to do a phone survey, how will you get people’s numbers? For a computer survey, where will their email addresses come from? Consider the positives and negatives to each method.
About the Author
Debra Tucker
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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