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Surveys-- From Inquiry to Argument, Linda McMeniman, Allyn and Bacon, Boston, MA. 1999
Like interviewing, surveying gathers information from those in the know, but it does so broadly and systematically. Surveying, or polling, is used to ask standardized questions of a target group. In exchange for the larger number of responses than one could ever get through interviews, pollsters sacrifice depth, individuality of response, and the ability to follow up. Polls can solicit opinions: What do you think is the major problem facing parents today? Which mayoral candidate do you believe will best manage labor relations with city workers? Or they can ask questions about experiences: Have you ever been divorced? Check off which states you have visited in the last five years. List any problems you had with you ABC automobile in the first year of ownership. By obtaining information from a representative subgroup, you can know about the group as a whole. For example, if you ask 10 % of the typical users of hardwood floor wax whether they prefer Zipshine liquid wax of Arbor paste wax and learn that 65% of all who wax their hardwood floors will prefer Zipshine, then you might generalize that about 65% of all who wax their hardwood floors will prefer Zipshine. In actuality, you have determined of the 65% of a 10% minority prefer Zipshine, of 6.5% of the typical users of hardwood floor wax. The sample should be Typical, Sufficient and Random. The characteristics of the group you wish to survey are called its demographics; they include such items as age, sex, educational level, and income level. You need to consider carefully which demographics are pertinent to your questions. Typical: The survey group should be comprised of individuals who use, or are aware of, your product/ resource. For example, if your goal is to learn how many students who dine at Daka eat breakfast daily, it is irrelevant to survey a group of senior citizens at the local supermarket. Sufficient: To get an acceptable number of responses, you must approach a high number of possible respondents. Random: A survey should also give every member of the targeted group a chance to be a respondent and to participate anonymously. Sampling requirements Street corner survey. Passersby are approached and asked a question or are handed a clipboard with a short questionnaire. Visiting several locations over several days gives a wider range of respondents than doing such a survey only once. Mailing. Questionnaires are mailed or hand-delivered. A collection box can be placed accessibly, or stamped envelopes are included. Handouts. Questionnaires can be distributed in classes, left on store checkouts or restaurant tables, or included in packets of information. Phoning. Targeted respondents are asked to answer a short list of questions over the phone. Electronic. Questions are distributed through e-mail, Facebook, MySpace, or some other electronic method. Respondents reply using the same method.

Questions should be neutral, fair, and appropriate. Questions should avoid bias and unfair assumptions, and choices should be worded neutrally. If you asked, Do you prefer to (a) apply polish conveniently with a mop or (b) get down on your knees and rub wax with a rag most respondents will choose option (a) because of words like conveniently. Questions should be written so that all respondents read them the same way. Ambiguous or valueladen questions can be misinterpreted and make survey results meaningless.

Question types
Binary response: yes or no, true or false, agree/ disagree Multiple choice: Circle your answer. Which type of news do you most depend on the radio for: A. Current events D. Weather B. Traffic E. Art and entertainment C. Sports Choice: Check all that apply: For example: I use my computer for the following: Word processing Access to internet Graphic design Listening to music Data analysis Corresponding with friends

Ranking: On a scale of 1 to 7, please indicate your preference with Strongly agree 1 Agree 2 Somewhat agree 3 No preference 4 Somewhat disagree 5 Disagree 6 Strongly disagree 7 Dont care/ No answer NA

Questionnaires should be User-Friendly Aim for brevity and clarity in designing your questionnaire. Ask only the questions you need answered. In most situations, one page is enough. Use a pleasant, upbeat tone. Introduce the survey with a brief, neutral description of its goal: To collect information on the potential audience for a jazz program on WFSC, NOT To show there is support for a jazz program among WFSC listeners. Motivate the reader to answer the questionnaire by mentioning briefly some advantages or positive effect the survey might have. Provide brief instructions on how to answer the survey. Check off all that apply. Circle your best response to each question. Limit the types of question you ask so that respondents dont have to change their mode of response for each question. Try to group questions by type of response. I.e. binary responses together, ranking questions together. At the end, explain how to return the questionnaire. Close by thanking the respondents for their time.

3 A note on collecting raw data or facts. Sometimes, a survey on your topic has already been done. Towns, schools, civic groups may already have the data you are looking for. Some organizations will share their data with you. Survey information that is posted on the internet is NOT considered a primary source as it has been PUBLISHED. However, if you receive information directly from the source and this information has not been posted on the internet or published elsewhere, then this is considered first hand research. Interpreting research Be careful how you generalize from your research findings. Your research may suggest a certain interpretation or may indicate a trend; it may contribute an original and intriguing perspective. But, as the work of a student with limited time and resources, your findings are not likely to be definitive. Where relevant: Acknowledge the limitations of your research Qualify your conclusions, using such terms as may, might be, could be, shows the likelihood of, etc. Show your openness to new and possibly divergent information Indicate that extensive research should be conducted Writing based on primary research When you write an essay based on primary research, you must move beyond inquiring, collecting information, and drawing conclusions. You need to synthesize, or combine, the separate strands of information into a new, unified statement. Group together information that supports the same subpoint, no matter where the information comes from. Be selective in what you include in your argument. Include information and material that directly supports your ideas. Dont feel you have to stuff into your essay everything that you found. Attributing primary-research results Make sure your reader knows where each piece of primary research comes from as you incorporate it into your essay. Typical leads for your research results: Over a period of one week, I observed students for a total of ten hours as they chose lunch and dinner items from Daka. A total of fifty-two students chose dessert at both lunch and dinner. An informal questionnaire returned by 64 College Writing 2 students at Fitchburg State revealed that about 30% felt proficient in doing library research In an interview, Mr. Smithdietician at the dining hallshared results of a survey. These results indicated that 74% of commuters eat at least three meals per week at Daka. Specific details about observations, experiences, collected data, and experiments should be provided: Method and extent of observations Brief details of experiences Survey type, demographics and number of respondents Type, purpose, and location (unless obvious) of organizations

Guidelines for writing up primary research

Overall Insert your primary research as support where it is relevant in the development of your argument Dont dump all your findings into your paper in a large chunk. Be specific in presenting your findings. Use facts and figures and direct quotations if possible. Qualify your conclusions Presenting eyewitness reports and personal experiences Use such reports for drama and effect, often at the start or end of an argument. Use them sparingly because individual experiences can be exceptions. Presenting observations Briefly describe where and how the observations were made (a formal tour, an informal site visit, or whatever) Then present relevant details Presenting experts opinions Identify experts by name, affiliation or background and mode of communication o Interview o Correspondence o E-mail Summarize relevant comments by your expert Quote if the person says something dramatic or striking Presenting survey results Briefly describe the methodology of the survey when you first mention it: o Formal or informal o Types of respondents sought o Written questionnaire, telephone, street-corner o Percentage of return, if relevant Provide just the details that relate to the point you are making Dont feel you have to include everything you found out in your survey Presenting data or facts Indicate how you collected the information (visiting dining hall, through correspondence, etc.) Provide enough details about your source so that the reader theoretically could duplicate your research If your data was collected by an organization, dont provide the name of the clerk or official who helped you unless only that person can access the information When necessary, you may also include library research to substantiate your findings of first hand research. Reference works can provide information such as: Undisputed facts: data about a topic commonly known within the field Viewpoints considered universalfor example, Shakespeare is the most important English dramatist Definitions, technical information or processes, measurements, specifications, and descriptions, statistical information, maps and charts Bibliographic information, additional sources or sources used in writing the entry must be listed at the end.