[Tony Kelly]
05.12.06
Things to know about conducting surveys
(According to Hoinville and Jowell)
- Advance letter increases the response
- Will the questionnaires be coded?
- Good design reduces error and entices response
- Make it easy to complete
- Plenty of space is more inviting of a response
- Scatter attitudinal questions among the fact-findings ones. It relieves boredom.
- circling precodes is more confusing than ticking boxes
- Use sub-sections to make the questionnaire look smaller
- Put the difficult questions in the middle; put the really interesting ones at the end to encourage finishing
- Repeat instructions on every page, for example
- Consider colour
- Use good quality paper
- Address to a named person, if possible
- Avoid Dear Sir/Madam
- Avoid writing in name in ink
- Use stamped (1st class) rather than franked envelopes for return
- Be careful about timing
- Try to get mail to arrive at start of the week
- Be ethical. Is the survey sponsored? If so, say so.
Three letters
- Advance letter informing that you will send a questionnaire
- Cover letter with the questionnaire
- Follow-up letter: aims to increase response
Other matters
- Analysis can be univariant, bivariant or multivariant