Survey Research

A research method that involves collecting data from a sample of individuals through questionnaires or interviews.

What is survey methodology?

"Survey methodology is 'the study of survey methods'."

What does survey methodology focus on?

"As a field of applied statistics concentrating on human-research surveys, survey methodology studies the sampling of individual units from a population and associated techniques of survey data collection."

What are some techniques of survey data collection?

"Techniques of survey data collection, such as questionnaire construction and methods for improving the number and accuracy of responses to surveys."

What do researchers aim to do when conducting statistical surveys?

"Researchers carry out statistical surveys with a view towards making statistical inferences about the population being studied."

What do the statistical inferences depend on?

"Such inferences depend strongly on the survey questions used."

What are some examples of quantitative research that use survey methodology?

"Polls about public opinion, public-health surveys, market-research surveys, government surveys, and censuses all exemplify quantitative research that uses survey methodology."

What do censuses include in terms of survey methodology?

"Although censuses do not include a 'sample,' they do include other aspects of survey methodology, like questionnaires, interviewers, and non-response follow-up techniques."

What is the importance of surveys?

"Surveys provide important information for all kinds of public-information and research fields, such as marketing research, psychology, health-care provision, and sociology."