There is more to implementing a survey than one may think. Some authors have listed as many as 38 unique stages. This course aims to equip participants with a good understanding of what is involved in conducting a survey effectively. It combines lectures with hands-on practical sessions.
This is a foundation level course run by the Social Research Association (SRA).
Topics covered
- Project management, planning, timetabling and quality
- Advantages and disadvantages of different methods of data collection
- Monitoring survey fieldwork
- Coding and data processing
- Understanding and minimising nonresponse bias
- Survey ethics or total survey error
Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will:
- Have a good awareness of all of the planning and quality aspects of a survey
- Recognise the strengths and weaknesses of different modes of data collection
- Have the tools to critique the way existing surveys have been implemented
- Have the knowledge to code and process data, calculate response rates, minimise nonresponse bias while the survey is in the field, understand the ethics in conducting a survey and be familiar with the concept of total survey error
Who will benefit?
The course will benefit anyone who wishes to conduct their own survey or commission a survey.
Learning outcomes
Participants will have increased their knowledge about conducting a high quality survey. This knowledge can be applied to conducting their own survey or the monitoring a survey which is out-sourced to a survey company.