You are in: Europe
Change location

You are here

Book > Textbooks > Research Methods & Evaluation (General)
The Practice of Survey Research
Share
Share

The Practice of Survey Research
Theory and Applications

April 2015 | 360 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Download flyer
Unique in its integration of theory and application, this comprehensive book explains survey design, implementation, data analysis, and continuing data management, including how to effectively incorporate the latest technology (e.g., SurveyMonkey and Qualtrics). Data management and analysis are demonstrated and explained through statistical software including SPSS, SAS, and STATA. In addition to helping students develop a complete understanding of survey research from start to finish, the authors also address the challenges and issues of specific disciplines.

Available with Perusall—an eBook that makes it easier to prepare for class
Perusall is an award-winning eBook platform featuring social annotation tools that allow students and instructors to collaboratively mark up and discuss their SAGE textbook. Backed by research and supported by technological innovations developed at Harvard University, this process of learning through collaborative annotation keeps your students engaged and makes teaching easier and more effective. Learn more.

 
Part I: Before the Survey
 
Chapter 1: Introduction to Survey Research
What is survey research?

 
How do you know if a survey is good?

 
Surveys about Teachers: Are They Good Teachers?

 
Applications of Survey Research

 
Technology and Survey Research

 
The Ethics of Survey Research

 
Key Decisions about Survey Research: What’s Ahead

 
 
Part II: Questionnaire Design
 
Chapter 2: Types of Surveys
Omnibus Surveys

 
Administration

 
Importance of Proper Training of Interviewers

 
Types of Surveys

 
 
Chapter 3: The Survey Instrument
The Cover Letter

 
The Survey Instrument

 
Appearance, Formatting, and Design

 
 
Chapter 4: Survey Question Construction
Concept Measurement: Traits, Assessments, and Sentiments

 
Complex Concepts Question Development

 
Responses to Questions

 
Measurement Error

 
 
Chapter 5: Validity and Reliability
Reliability

 
Correlation

 
Types of Reliability and Estimation

 
Validity

 
 
Chapter 6: Pre-testing and Pilot Testing
Pre-testing

 
Pilot Testing

 
Pre-test and Pilot Test Limitations

 
 
Part III: Implementing a Survey
 
Chapter 7: Selecting a Sample: Probability Sampling
Sampling Terminology

 
Sampling Theory

 
Probability Sampling Techniques

 
 
Chapter 8: Non-Probability Sampling and Sampling Hard to Find Populations
Convenience Sampling

 
Quota Sampling

 
Purposive Sampling

 
Sampling Hard to Find Populations

 
 
Chapter 9: Improving Response Rates and Retention
Response Rates and Non-response Errors

 
Non-response Bias

 
Attrition in Panel Studies

 
Methods to Increase Participant Contact and Participant Cooperation

 
 
Chapter 10: Technologies to Develop and Implement Surveys
Mail Survey Administration

 
Computer-assisted Interviewing

 
Post-survey Data Entry and Data Cleaning Technology

 
Contracting with a Research Center to Conduct the Survey

 
 
Chapter 11: Data Collection
The Self-administered Cross-sectional Mailed Survey

 
The Self-administered Longitudinal Panel Mailed Survey

 
Interviewer-administered Surveys

 
Self-administered Web Surveys

 
Comparing Survey Types

 
Storage Needs

 
 
Part IV: Post-Survey Data Management and Analysis
 
Chapter 12: Data Entry
Data Entry

 
Documentation

 
 
Chapter 13: Data Cleaning
Simple Cross-sectional Data Cleaning

 
Cosmetic Cleaning

 
Skip Patterns

 
Multiple-response Questions, Other Specify and Open-ended Questions

 
Cleaning for Diagnostics

 
Interviewer Effects/Mode Effects

 
Cleaning Longitudinal Data

 
The Codebook

 
 
Chapter 14: Data Analysis for a Policy Report
Policy Reports

 
Descriptive Statistics

 
Analysis for a Policy Report

 
Summary

 
The Report Write-up

 
 
Chapter 15: More Advanced Data Analysis
Explanatory Research Questions

 
Journal Article Format

 
Regression Analysis

 
Addressing Missing Data

 
OLS Regressions of the Positive Relocation Scale

 
Creating Tables for the Journal Article and Writing-up the Results

 
 
Chapter 16: Data Archiving
Seeking External Funding for Your Survey Project

 
Archiving Original and Final Data

 
Data Format

 
Archiving and Making Data Publicly Available

 
 
Archives
 
Epilogue
Survey Administration checklist

 
Survey Design and Organization Checklist

 
Writing Good Questions Checklist

 
Piloting or Pre-Testing the Survey Checklist

 
Choosing a Sample Checklist

 
Improving Response Rates Checklist

 

Supplements

Companion Website
The companion website features data and syntax examples from Chapters 14 and 15 in all three of the main statistical software packages—SAS, SPSS, and STATA—so you can follow along as you study these chapters.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 6

Chapter 13

For instructors

Select a Purchasing Option

Related Products

Designing Surveys
Designing Surveys
Survey Research Methods
Survey Research Methods
SAGE Research Methods Promotion

Sage Research Methods is a research methods tool created to help researchers, faculty and students with their research projects. Sage Research Methods links over 175,000 pages of Sage’s renowned book, journal and reference content with truly advanced search and discovery tools. Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings. Since Sage Research Methods focuses on methodology rather than disciplines, it can be used across the social sciences, health sciences, and more.

With Sage Research Methods, researchers can explore their chosen method across the depth and breadth of content, expanding or refining their search as needed; read online, print, or email full-text content; utilize suggested related methods and links to related authors from Sage Research Methods' robust library and unique features; and even share their own collections of content through Methods Lists. Sage Research Methods contains content from over 720 books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks, the entire “Little Green Book,” and "Little Blue Book” series, two Major Works collating a selection of journal articles, and specially commissioned videos.

Find out more