Descriptive Research Design: Survey, Observation and Internet
Survey Methods
Ü Respondents are asked questions regarding their behaviour, intentions, attitudes, awareness, motivations, and demographics and lifestyle characteristics
Advantages of Surveys
Ü Standardisation
Ü Ease of administration
Ü Ability to tap the ‘unseen’
Ü Large sample
Ü Low cost
Ü Increases geographic flexibility
Ü Suitable for tabulations and statistical analysis
Ü Generalisability
Ü Sensitivity to subgroup differences
Disadvantages of Survey
Ü Difficult developing questionnaires
Ü Need to develop constructs, scale measurements, questionnaire design
Ü Respondents may be unable/unwilling to provide the desired information
Ü Structured and fixed responses
Ü Difficult to probe
Classification of Survey Methods
Ü Nature of survey interaction
Person to person
Computer assistance
Self-completion
Ü Mode of administration
Personal interviews
Telephone interviews
Mail interviews
Electronic
Figure 5.2 Classification by Mode of Administration
Personal Methods
Personal face-face in-home interviews
Ü Interview conducted at the respondent’s home
Advantages
Ü When personal contact is essential
Ü Conducive environment to questioning process
Personal Methods cont.
Central location personal interviews
Ü Interview conducted in shopping centres
Advantages
Ü Travel costs are eliminated
Ü Interviewer can interact with respondents
Disadvantages
Ü Non-representative sample
Ü Uncomfortable environment
Personal Methods cont.
Computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI)
Ü Direct entry of research information into a computerised database
Telephone Methods
Traditional hard-copy telephone interviews
Ü Phoning a sample of respondents and asking them a series of questions.
Ü Interviewer records answers on hardcopy of questionnaire.
Advantages
Ü Inexpensive
Ü Yields a very high quality sample
Ü Quick
Disadvantages
Ü Inability of respondents to see questions
Ü Inability to observe respondents
Ü Limitations on information quality and quantity
Ü Growing use of answering machines
Ü People associate surveys with telemarketing
Telephone Methods cont.
Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI)
Ü Computerised questionnaire administered to respondents over the telephone
Advantages
Ü Inexpensive
Ü Computer dials phone number
Ü Computer skips questions
Ü Can customise questions
Ü No editing required
Ü Analysis can be done at any stage
Ü Cost savings
Ü Quality control
Ü Time savings
Telephone Methods cont.
Computer automated telephone systems (CATS)
Ü Computer-synthesised voices are used to ask questions over the phone
Ü Respondents select numbers on the telephone keypad to answer questions
Ü Voice recognition is likely to be used in the future to record and count responses
Mail Methods
Mail interviews
Ü Questionnaire is developed and mailed to pre-selected respondents who return the completed surveys by mail
Ü Mail interview package consists of the outgoing envelope, cover letter, questionnaire, return envelope
Mail Methods cont.
Advantages
Ü No interviewers to recruit, train, monitor and compensate
Ü Inexpensive to implement
Ü Can reach many people
Disadvantages
Ü Low response rate
Ü Self-selection bias
Ü Slow form of collection
Ü Possible misunderstanding of skipped questions
Mail Methods cont.
Mail Panels
Ü Large representative sample of households that have agreed to participate in periodic mail questionnaires, product tests and telephone survey
Advantages
Ü Panel can be tested prior to the survey to obtain a representative sample
Ü Produces a higher response compared with direct mail
Ü Allows for longitudinal research
Disadvantage
Ü May not be a representative sample
Electronic Methods
E-mail interviews
Ü A survey using plain text which is e-mailed for the respondent to read, complete and return
Electronic Methods cont.
Internet interviews
Ü Use HTML to write the questionnaire.
Ü Survey can be found on the web or emailed to a potential respondent
Ü Can contribute to higher quality data
Table 5.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet surveys
Advantages
n Higher response rates
n Greater response accuracy
n More enjoyable
n More aesthetically pleasing
n Less expensive
n Faster turnaround
n Trend-leader population
n Instantaneous global reach
n Customised surveys
n Ability to find highly specific research targets
Disadvantages
n Self-selection
n Unrepresentative population
n Anonymity bias by Internet users
n Respect for multicultural responses
n Anxiety in divulging information
n Shorter attention span
n Lack of interpersonal nuances
n Possibility for multiple and repeated polling
n Novelty bias will diminish
Observation Methods
Ü Recording the behaviour of people, objects and events in a systematic manner to obtain information relevant to the problem
Ü Can be classed as a qualitative or quantitative research technique
Ü Observational methods include:
Structured vs unstructured
Disguised vs undisguised
Natural vs contrived
Structured
Ü Researcher specifies what is to be observed and how the measurement will be recorded
Ü Reduces potential for observer bias and enhances the reliability of the data
Ü Appropriate when problem has been clearly defined and the information needed has been specified
Ü Suitable for conclusive research
Unstructured
Ü Observer monitors all aspects of the phenomenon that seems relevant to the problem at hand
Ü Appropriate when the problem has yet to be formulated precisely and flexibility is needed in observing to identify key components of the problem and to develop hypotheses
Ü Observer bias is high
Ü Suitable for exploratory research
Disguised
Ü Respondents are unaware that they are being observed
Ü Respondents behave naturally
Ü Props include one-way mirrors, hidden cameras or inconspicuous mechanical device
Undisguised
Ü Respondent are aware that they are under observation
Ü May bias behaviour patterns
Natural
Ü Observation takes place in the environment [supermarket]
Ü Observed behaviour will more accurately reflect true behaviour
Contrived
Ü Respondent’s behaviour is observed in an artificial environment
Ü Do not need to wait for behaviour to occur in a natural environment
Figure 5.4 A Classification of Observation Methods
Case: Recycling Behaviour
A municipal council in Australia examined household rubbish to identify whether households were disposing of rubbish appropriately, in particular, if they were recycling most recyclable items. Although surveys indicated that households were recycling, trace analysis was deemed the best method in obtaining information on actual behaviour.
Is this ethical? Would you like it if someone went through your rubbish?
Comparison of Survey and Observation Methods
Relative Advantages of Observation
Ü Measures actual behaviour
Ü No interviewer bias
Ü Useful when respondent is unaware/unable to communicate feelings
Relative Disadvantages of Observation
Ü Little is known about the underlying motives, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences
Ü Time consuming and expensive
Ü Borders on being unethical