Survey research designs are procedures used in quantitative research where investigators administer surveys to describe populations. There are two main types of survey designs - cross-sectional and longitudinal. Cross-sectional designs collect data at one point in time to measure current attitudes or practices, while longitudinal designs collect data about trends over time within the same population. Key characteristics of survey research include sampling from a population, collecting data through questionnaires or interviews, designing instruments, and obtaining a high response rate.

1. Survey Designs

2. 01
WHAT IS
SURVEY
RESEARCH?

3. quantitative,
numbered data
using
questionnaires or
interviews
01 02 03 04
Collect Analyze Test Interpret
statistically the
data to describe
trends about
responses
research
questions or
hypotheses
the meaning of the
data by relating
the results to past
research studies
Survey research designs are procedures in quantitative research in which
investigators administer a survey to a sample or to the entire population of people
to describe the attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or characteristics of the population.

4. 02
WHEN DO
YOU USE
SURVEY
RESEARCH?

5. You use survey research to:
● Describe trends.
Describing trendsinterest in Saudi Arabia about the dress code
policies in public places.
● Determine individual opinions.
Weather Saudis agree or disagree with the dress code policies in
public places.
● Identify important beliefs and attitudes of individuals.
Saudi people’s’ beliefs about what is a modest clothing and
What is not.

6. An example of a follow-up with graduates survey:

7. An example of a follow-up with graduates survey:

8. 03 HOW DID
SURVEY
RESEARCH
DEVELOP?

9. Early surveys date back
to 1817
● During the period from World War I to World War II,
the modern survey began to emerge.
● Scales improved through the development of the
Likert scale (strongly agree - strongly disagree).
● Guidelines were written.

10. WHAT ARE
THE TYPES
OF SURVEY
DESIGNS?
04

11. Time of Data Collection
Study Over Time
Longitudinal
Trends in the
same
population
over time
Trend
Changes in a
subpopulation
group
identified by a
common
characteristic
over time
Cohort
Changes in
the same
people over
time
Panel
Study at One Point in Time
Cross-Sectional
Attitudes and
practices
Group
comparisons
Community
needs
Program
evaluation
National
assessment
There are two types of research surveys:

12. Cross-Sectional Survey Designs
• The most popular form of survey design used in
education.
• The researcher collects data at one point in time.
• This design has the advantage of measuring current
attitudes or practices.
• It provides information in a short amount of time.

13. Examples of Cross-Sectional Survey Designs
Compare two
or more
groups
Needs of
educational
services
Measure
community
needs
Survey that
provides useful
information to
decision makers
A faculty survey
of all operating
institutions of
higher
education
Comparing
rural and urban
secondary
school teachers
Examine attitudes,
beliefs, opinions, or
practices
Evaluate a
program
Large-scale
assessment
Practices of
reading
teachers in
elementary
schools

14. Longitudinal Survey Designs
• Collecting data about trends with the same population.
• The participants may be different or the same people.
• Several types of longitudinal designs are available to the
educational researcher, including trend, cohort, and
panel designs

15. Types of Longitudinal Survey Designs
Trend Studies
Identifying a
population and
examining changes
within that
population over time.
Ex: Gallup Poll
Cohort Studies
Identify a
subpopulation based
on specific
characteristic and then
studies it over time.
Ex: Graduate follow-up.
Panel Studies
Examine the same
people over time.
It is the most
rigorous.
Ex: Graduate follow-
up.

16. 05
WHAT ARE THE
KEY
CHARACTERISTICS
OF SURVEY
RESEARCH?

17. Survey researchers engage in the processes of:
● Sampling from a population.
● Collecting data through questionnaires or interviews.
● Designing instruments for data collection.
● Obtaining a high response rate.

18. The Population is the group of individuals having
one characteristic that distinguishes them from
other groups.
The Target Population or Sampling
Frame is the actual list of sampling units
from which the sample is selected.
The Sample is the group
of participants in a study
selected from the target
population from which
the researcher
generalizes to the target
population.
High school
teachers
A list of all high
school teachers in
one city
The
individuals
who will be
studied

19. Sampling from a Population
● The most rigorous form of sampling is to use random
sampling.
● It is important to select as large a sample as possible so that
the sample will exhibit similar characteristics.
● It is also possible in survey research to study the entire
population because it is small and can be easily identified
(census study).

20. To reduce coverage
error,
have a good sampling
frame list on which to
select individuals
To reduce sampling
error,
select as large a sample from
the population as possible
To reduce
measurement
error,
use a good instrument,
with clear, unambiguous
questions and response
options
To reduce
nonresponse
error,
use rigorous
administration
procedures to
achieve a large
return rate
(Salant & Dillman,1994)

21. Who Completes or Records the Data?
Participant
Electronic
Questionnaire
Mailed
Questionnaire
Researcher
One on
One
Individual
Interview
To a Group
Focus Group
Interview
Over
Telephone
Telephone
Interview
Forms of Data Collection of Survey Research

22. Note:
● The quantitative interview procedures are not to be confused
with qualitative interviewing. In quantitative survey interviews, the
investigator uses a structured or semi-structured interview
consisting of mostly closed-ended questions, provides response
options to interviewees, and records their responses. In qualitative
survey interviews, an interviewer asks open-ended questions
without response options and listens to and records the
comments.

23. 06
HOW TO
DESIGN YOUR
INSTRUMENT?

24. Instrument Design
● Consider whether a survey instrument is available to
measure your variables. You might also consider modifying
an existing instrument.

25. Instrument Design
● You will typically perform the following steps:
1. You will write different types of questions.
2. You will use strategies for good question construction.
3. You will perform a pilot test of the questions.

26. Personal, Attitudinal, and Behavioral
Questions:
1- Background /Demographic
questions:
Gender - Level of income – Age
2- Individual attitudes or opinions:
How much do you agree or disagree
with this statement
3- Behavior of individuals:
Did you take a semester off during any
of your 4 years of college?
Sensitive Questions:
If sensitive questions are not tactfully
stated, individuals may either over- or
underrepresent their views
Drug and alcohol -Mental health
issues - Domestic violence
Include a sensitive question late in the
survey.
In past surveys, many men have
reported that at some point in their
lives they have used marijuana. Have
you ever smoked marijuana?

27. Open- and Closed-Ended Questions
1- Closed-ended questions
The researcher poses a question and
provides preset response options.
What is your reason for coming to
adult basic education classes?
 To help my kids with homework
 To get a better job
 To improve myself
2- Open-ended questions
Questions for which researchers do not
provide the response options.
Why are you attending English
classes?
Semi-closed-ended questions in a
survey
The technique is to ask a closed-ended
question and then ask for additional
responses in an open-ended question.
What is your most important reason
for coming to adult basic education
classes?
 To help my kids with homework
 To get a better job
 To improve myself
 Other (please comment) ………………..

28. Example of Improved Questions
Problem
Example of a Poor Question
Do you believe that guns do not belong in
schools?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know
Do you believe that knives do not belong
in schools?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know
Should students have guns in their
lockers?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know
Should students have guns in their
lockers?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know
Should students carry a handgun at
school?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know
Unclear question because of
vague words
Two or more questions (see
the conjunction “and”)
Wordy or lengthy questions
Question contains negatives
Question contains jargon
Do you support gun control?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know
Do you believe that guns and knives
do not belong in schools?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know
Whenever violence occurs in
schools, weapons are typically
found in school lockers. Do you
believe that students should have
guns in their lockers?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know
Students should not carry weapons
and not have them in their lockers.
Do you agree?
_____ Strongly agree
_____ Agree
_____ Undecided
_____ Disagree
_____ Strongly disagree
Should students pack a .45 at
school?
_____ Yes
_____ No
_____ Don’t know

29. Example of Improved Question s
Problem
Example of a Poor Question
How many times have you seen a student
carry a handgun?
_____ 0 times
_____ 1–2 times
_____ 3–4 times
_____ More than 4 times
To what extent do you feel that handguns
are a problem at your school?
_____ A great extent
_____ Some extent
_____ Little extent
To what extent do you feel that handguns
are a problem at your school?
_____ A great extent
_____ Some extent
_____ Little extent
How often have you seen students
carry a rifle at school?
_____ None
_____ 1 time
_____ 2 times
_____ 3 or more times
Have you seen students carrying
guns at school?
_____ Yes
_____ No
If Yes, how many students?
_____ 1 student
_____ 2 students
_____ 3 students
_____ More than 3 students
Response categories overlap
Unbalanced response
options
Mismatch between the
question and the responses
Respondent does not have
understanding to answer
question
Not all respondents can
answer the question—
branching needed
How many times have you seen a
student carry a handgun?
_____ 0 times
_____ 1–2 times
_____ 2–3 times
_____ More than 3 times
To what extent do you feel that
handguns are a problem at your
school?
_____ A great extent
_____ Some
_____ Not very important
_____ Not a problem
To what extent do you feel that
handguns are a problem at your
school?
_____ Very important
_____ Important
_____ Little importance
How often have you seen students
carry semi-automatic weapons at
school?
_____ None
_____ 1 time
_____ 2 times
_____ 3 or more times
How many students have you seen
carrying guns at school?
_____ 1 student
_____ 2 students
_____ 3 students
_____ More than 3 students

30. Pilot Testing the Questions
A procedure in which a
researcher makes changes in
an instrument based on
feedback from a small
number of individuals
who complete and evaluate
the instrument.
01
Response Bias
It occurs in survey research
when the responses do not
accurately reflect the views of
the sample and the
population. (Wave analysis)
03
Response Rate
Researchers seek high
response rates from
participants in a study so that
they can have confidence in
generalizing the results to the
population under study.
02

31. Questionnaire Construction
● Begin with demographic or personal questions.
● Use different types of closed ended questions.
● Include open-ended items to encourage
participants to elaborate on their experiences
and definitions.
● Having a pleasing layout and the use of one
scale (e.g., “strongly disagree” to “strongly
agree”) for multiple questions.
● Include closing instructions thanking the
respondent for participating in the study.

32. A study in the US shows
that shortening the
questionnaire and
respondent-friendly
questionnaire design
improve response rates
(Dillman,. Sinclair, Clark, 1993, P. 289–304)

33. Checklist for Analyzing Questionnaire Data
Step 1.
Identify response rate and response bias.
Develop table for percent of responses to the survey.
Develop table for the wave analysis response bias.
Step 2.
Descriptively analyze the data to identify general trends.
Calculate and present a table of descriptive statistics (mean, variance, and
Range) for each question on the instrument.
Analyze data to develop a demographic profile of the sample.
Analyze data to provide answers to descriptive questions in the study
(if any).
Step 3.
Write the report presenting the descriptive results or use advanced
statistics.
Develop scales by combining questions on the instrument
Check for the reliability of the scores on the scales (i.e., use a coefficient of
internal consistency).
Check for the validity of the scores on scales (or factors) (i.e., use factor
analysis).
Analyze data using inferential statistics to address research questions or
hypotheses (i.e., comparing groups, relating variables).

34. HOW DO YOU DESIGN AND CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW
SURVEY?
● The researcher should remain neutral and should not share
opinions.
● If more than one interviewer is involved in a research project,
each person needs training.
● The researcher gains access to the participants through a
formal invitation and establishes a time and place to conduct the
interview.

35. HOW DO YOU DESIGN AND CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW
SURVEY?
● During the interview, the survey researcher asks questions,
indicates the response options to questions, and records
participant answers.
● When asking open-ended questions, the interviewer writes
down answers to the questions.
● The interview ends with the researcher thanking the individual
for the interview.

36. WHAT ARE
POTENTIAL
ETHICAL
ISSUES IN
SURVEY
RESEARCH?
07

37. ● Survey researchers can use incentives to encourage
individuals to participate in a study, but these incentives should
not be so large that they become unethical for individual
participation.
● Researchers should not put interviewers at risk for their safety,
or put the interviewer in a position of being deceptive, misleading,
or inaccurate.
● What the researcher learns from the survey respondent
should not be shared outside of the research team.

38. WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN CONDUCTING SURVEY
RESEARCH?
• Decide if a survey is the best design to use.
• Identify the research questions or hypotheses.
• Identify the population, the sampling frame, and the
sample.
• Determine the survey design and data collection
procedures.
• Develop or locate an instrument.
• Administer the instrument.
• Analyze the data to address the research questions
or hypotheses
• Write the report.

39. ◆ Describes and specifies the target population and the sample.
◆ Identifies how the sample was derived.
◆ Discusses the size of the sample and the means for deriving the sample
size.
◆ Uses a type of survey that matches the
research questions or hypotheses.
◆ Clearly identifies the instruments used in data collection and how they were
selected.
◆ Reports information on the reliability and validity of scores from past uses of
the questionnaire or interview.
◆ Discusses the procedures for administering the instruments.
◆ Mentions appropriate follow-up procedures to ensure a large return rate
and lack of response bias.
◆ Provides an example of the questions on the questionnaire or interview.
◆ Uses data analysis procedures to answer the research questions or
hypotheses.
◆ Writes the study in a scholarly way and identifies potential ethical issues.

40. CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons
by Flaticon, infographics & images by Freepik and illustrations by Stories
Thanks!
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating
quantitative and qualitative research. Delhi, India: PHI Learning Private Limited.
Dillman, D. A., Sinclair, M. D., & Clark, J. R. (1993). Effects of Questionnaire Length,
Respondent-Friendly Design, and a Difficult Question on Response Rates for Occupant-
Addressed Census Mail Surveys. Public Opinion Quarterly, 57(3), 289.
doi:10.1086/269376
‫استبانة‬
‫التعرف‬
‫على‬
‫وضع‬
‫خريجات‬
‫جامعة‬
‫األميرة‬
‫نورة‬
‫بنت‬
‫عبد‬
‫الرحمن‬
.
(
2014
)
. Retrieved October 31, 2020,
from https://op.pnu.edu.sa/PNUSatisfactionSurvay41-1/GraduateSurvey.aspx