Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide, 4th Edition

Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide, 4th Edition

by Louis M. Rea, Richard A. Parker
Released September 2014
Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 9781118767030

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Book description

The industry standard guide, updated with new ideas and SPSS analysis techniques

Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide Fourth Edition is the industry standard resource that covers all major components of the survey process, updated to include new data analysis techniques and SPSS procedures with sample data sets online. The book offers practical, actionable guidance on constructing the instrument, administrating the process, and analyzing and reporting the results, providing extensive examples and worksheets that demonstrate the appropriate use of survey and data techniques. By clarifying complex statistical concepts and modern analysis methods, this guide enables readers to conduct a survey research project from initial focus concept to the final report.

Public and nonprofit managers with survey research responsibilities need to stay up-to-date on the latest methods, techniques, and best practices for optimal data collection, analysis, and reporting. Designing and Conducting Survey Research is a complete resource, answering the "what", "why", and "how" every step of the way, and providing the latest information about technological advancements in data analysis. The updated fourth edition contains step-by-step SPSS data entry and analysis procedures, as well as SPSS examples throughout the text, using real data sets from real-world studies. Other new information includes topics like:

  • Nonresponse error/bias

  • Ethical concerns and special populations

  • Cell phone samples in telephone surveys

  • Subsample screening and complex skip patterns

    • The fourth edition also contains new information on the growing importance of focus groups, and places a special emphasis on data quality including size and variability. Those who employ survey research methods will find that Designing and Conducting Survey Research contains all the information needed to better design, conduct, and analyze a more effective survey.

    Table of contents

    1. Figures, Tables, Exhibits, and Worksheets
    2. Preface
    3. The Authors
    4. Part One: Developing and Administering Questionnaires
      1. Chapter 1: An Overview of the Sample Survey Process
        1. Gathering Information through Research
        2. Advantages of Sample Survey Research
        3. Types of Sample Survey Research
        4. Stages of the Survey Research Process
        5. Monitoring and Supervision of the Interview Process
        6. Ethical Considerations in Survey Research
        7. Conclusion
      2. Chapter 2: Designing Effective Questionnaires: Basic Guidelines
        1. Introducing the Study
        2. Sequence of Questions
        3. Question Format: Open-Ended or Closed-Ended
        4. Questionnaire Length
        5. Editing the Completed Questionnaire
      3. Chapter 3: Developing Survey Questions
        1. Guidelines for Phrasing Questions
        2. Levels of Measurement
        3. Formatting of Questions
      4. Chapter 4: Using Focus Groups in the Survey Research Process
        1. Uses of Focus Groups
        2. Planning Focus Groups
        3. Recruiting Focus Group Participants
        4. Implementing the Focus Group Sessions
    5. Part Two: Ensuring Scientific Accuracy
      1. Chapter 5: Descriptive Statistics: Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion
        1. Measures of Central Tendency
        2. Measures of Dispersion
        3. The Normal Distribution
        4. Selecting the Most Appropriate Measure of Central Tendency for Describing Survey Data
        5. Scaled Frequency Distributions
      2. Chapter 6: The Theoretical Basis of Sampling
        1. Properties of the Normal Distribution
        2. The Standardized Z Score
        3. The Theoretical Basis of Sampling
        4. Generalizing from a Single Sample
      3. Chapter 7: Confidence Intervals and Basic Hypothesis Testing
        1. Confidence Intervals
        2. Confidence Intervals Expressed as Proportions
        3. Hypothesis Testing
      4. Chapter 8: Determining the Sample Size
        1. Determinants of Sampling Accuracy
        2. Determination of Sample Size for Variables Expressed in Terms of Proportions
        3. Determination of Sample Size for Interval Scale Variables
        4. Determination of Sample Size When Both Proportional and Interval Scale Variables Are Present
      5. Chapter 9: Selecting and Obtaining a Representative Sample
        1. Probability Sampling
        2. Identification of the Sampling Frame
        3. Establishing a Representative Working Population
        4. Examples of Sampling Frames
        5. Weighting Disproportionate Samples
        6. Nonresponse Bias
        7. Nonprobability Sampling
    6. Part Three: Presenting and Analyzing Survey Results
      1. Chapter 10: Analyzing Cross-Tabulated Data
        1. Cross-Tabulated Contingency Tables
        2. The Chi-Square Test of Significance
        3. Cramér’s V and Phi (Φ)
        4. Additional Chi-Square Considerations
        5. Gamma (γ)
        6. Testing the Statistical Significance of Gamma
      2. Chapter 11: Testing the Difference between Means
        1. Independent Samples t Test
        2. Paired Samples t Test
        3. Difference of Proportions Test
        4. Analysis of Variance
        5. Post Hoc Tests: A Multiple Comparison of Means
        6. Spuriousness
      3. Chapter 12: Regression and Correlation
        1. Simple Linear Regression
        2. Testing the Significance of the Regression Line
        3. Calculation of Sum of Squares
        4. Calculation of Variances and F Ratio
        5. Coefficient of Determination (r2)
        6. Pearson’s r Correlation
        7. Dummy Variables
        8. Choosing among Tests of Significance and Measures of Association
      4. Chapter 13: Preparing an Effective Final Report
        1. Report Format
        2. Specific Considerations for Formally Reporting Survey Results
    7. Resource A: Table of Areas of a Standard Normal Distribution
    8. Resource B: Glossary
    9. Bibliography
    10. Index
    11. End User License Agreement

    Product information

    • Title: Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide, 4th Edition
    • Author(s): Louis M. Rea, Richard A. Parker
    • Release date: September 2014
    • Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
    • ISBN: 9781118767030