TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Survey Research A1 - White, Susan E. Y1 - 2020 N1 - T2 - Basic & Clinical Biostatistics, 5e AB - KEY CONCEPTSSurvey research is one of the most common forms of research.Survey research generally involves asking people about a topic, although some surveys may be based on existing data sources.A clear research question and specific objectives help guide the design of a survey and questionnaire.Survey topics may need to be investigated with focus groups in order to know the specific issues that are important to study.Survey methods are determined by the research question. They include interviews and self-administered questionnaires using the mail or telephone. They may be web-based, or given in person.The most appropriate types of questions and response scales should be selected, and questions should be free from bias.Questions that have a predetermined list of possible responses are easier to analyze than open-ended questions.The choice of scale (nominal, ordinal, numerical) has ramifications for ways in which the results can be analyzed.Answers need to be balanced with equal numbers of positive and negative response options.In general, responses should be specific and avoid vague adjectives.Response categories need to be homogeneous and mutually exclusive.Potentially objectionable questions can sometimes be softened so they are more acceptable to the subject.Questions permitting subjects to select as many options as they choose can present challenges at the time of analysis.People often find ranking scales difficult if more than three choices are to be ranked.Likert scales are popular and easy for respondents to understand.Reliability indicates whether the results from a test or questionnaire are reproducible.Validity indicates whether a test or questionnaire is measuring what it is intended to measure.Pilot testing is essential and need not use a large sample.A high response rate provides more confidence in the findings.Effective follow-up is the most important way to increase response rates.A well-crafted cover letter should accompany all questionnaires.Incentives, both monetary and nonmonetary, appear to have a large effect on response rates.Ethical considerations and institutional review boards require that respondents be assured that their responses will be kept confidential.Appropriate sampling methods lead to more valid studies so long as the type of respondent is pertinent to the research question.Determining the required number of subjects is part of the survey design process.Survey results are analyzed using the methods previously discussed in this book. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/11/07 UR - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1176053487 ER -