Week 12: Survey Research

• What are the four issues a researcher must consider when creating survey questions?

  1. Survey questions must be developed.
  2. Survey questions must be assembled and organised.
  3. Identification of the sample.
  4. It must be decided how the survey will be administered.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of survey research?

  • Strength: Researchers can obtain information about a wide variety variables. They're easy and efficient to gather large amount of information – it provides flexibility.
  • Weaknesses: Low response rates, non-response bias, and social desirability bias.
• Low Response Rate


  A low number of individuals who complete the survey compared to the number of individuals who were invited to complete the survey.
• Nonresponse Bias


  People who complete the survey are a self-selected group that may not be representative of the population.
• Social Desirability Bias

  The tendency to give socially acceptable answers, even if it's not true.