Survey design/Before designing a survey

From Wikiversity

It can be very tempting to press ahead with designing a survey. But first, be clear about the purpose of the study and the research methodology. Putting the cart (survey design) before the horse (peer-reviewed research proposal) is fraught with risk!

Before designing a survey, it is helpful, and generally recommended, to clearly establish a research proposal and to get this proposal peer-reviewed (and/or reviewed by a supervisor). Investment in developing the proposal is generally returned many-fold.

The seven Ps apply to survey design: Prior preparation and planning prevents piss-poor performance.

Poor research results and conclusions emerge from poor data, which is often due to poor survey design. Hence, a well-conducted survey research project should exhibit:

• clarity in the project's purposes (and specific research questions and hypotheses)
• careful development of well-worded questions with appropriate response formats and/or
• a well designed and implemented sampling method