Survey methods

MODULE 5

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Learning objectives
In this module, you will learn:
1. The advantages of surveys
2. The various modes of survey administration
3. The different methods of data collection using surveys
4. Why marketing researchers work with panel companies
5. The various considerations when selecting a specific survey
method

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What is a survey?
• A survey involves interviews with a large number of
respondents using a pre-designed questionnaire.
• Questions regarding behaviour, intentions, attitudes,
awareness, motivations, and demographic and lifestyle
characteristics all lend themselves to survey research.
• A typical survey involves structured questioning. A formal
questionnaire is prepared and the questions are asked in a
prearranged order (e.g., general or warm-up questions first,
complex or difficult questions next, demographic questions last)
• Most questions are fixed alternative questions, which require
respondent to select from a predetermined set of responses.

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Advantages of using survey methods
Advantage Description
Provides standardization All respondents react to questions worded identically and presented in the
same order. Response options (scales) are the same, too.

Gathers large amounts of A great many variables (questions) can be measured across a large
information efficiently representative sample of respondents in a short amount of time and at
relatively small expense.
Is easy to administer Interviewers read questions to respondents and record their answers quickly
and easily. In many cases, the respondents read and respond to the
questionnaires themselves.
Gets “beneath the surface” While not as detailed as in-depth interviews or focus groups, it is common to
ask questions about motives, circumstances, sequences of events, or mental
deliberations, none of which are available in observational studies.

Is easy to analyze Standardization and computer processing allow for quick tallies, cross
tabulations, and other statistical analyses despite large sample sizes.

Reveals subgroup differences Respondents can be divided into segments or subgroups (e.g., users v.
nonusers or age groups) for comparisons in the search for meaningful
differences.

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Trends in data collection
• Computer technology has dramatically changed data
collection in recent years (e.g., Survey Monkey).

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Types of data collection
The four possible types of data collection are characterised by:
• Whether an interviewer is used
• Whether computer technology is employed
Blank No Computer Computer

Interviewer Person-administered Survey Computer-assisted (Person-

The interviewer reads questions and administered) Survey
records the answers on paper. The interviewer reads the questions
and uses computer technology to
record the answers and/or otherwise
assist in the interview.
No interviewer Self-administered Survey Computer-administered Survey
The respondent reads the questions The computer communicates the
on a page and responds by writing on questions and records the
the questionnaire. respondent’s answers.

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Person-administered surveys
• In a person-administered survey, an interviewer reads
questions, either face-to-face or over the telephone, to the
respondent and records his or her answers without the use
of a computer (e.g., pen-and-paper survey).
• The popularity of this mode falls as costs increased and
computer technology advanced.
• Advantages • Disadvantages
– Immediate feedback – Human errors
– Establish rapport – Slow speed
– Quality control – High cost
– Adapt to situations – Fear of interview evaluation
(e.g., young vs. elderly) (social desirability)
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Computer-assisted surveys
• In a computer-assisted survey, the interviewer basically verbalises the
questions while relying to some degree on computer technology to
facilitate the interview work (e.g., record responses or showing pictures).
• For example, a telephone interviewer may read questions and record
answers on a computer screen, or a personal interviewer may use a tablet
as an aid in administering a survey.

• Advantages • Disadvantages
– Speed – Technical skills required
– Relatively low human errors – High set up costs
(e.g., record wrong answer)
– Use of pictures, audio-visuals
and graphics
– Immediate capture of data
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Self-administered surveys
• In a self-administered survey, the respondent
completes the survey on their own with no agent –
human or computer – administering the interview
(e.g., typical pen-and-paper mail survey).
• Advantages • Disadvantages
– Reduced cost (e.g., no – Respondent control (e.g.,
need for interviewer or someone else answers
administering device) survey)
– Respondent control (e.g., – Lack of monitoring (e.g.,
respondents work at may answer improperly)
their own pace) – High questionnaire
– Reduced interview requirements (e.g., clear
evaluation apprehension instructions, engaging)
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Computer-administered surveys
• In a computer-administered survey, a computer plays an
integral role in posing questions and recording respondents’
answers (e.g., Qualtrics online survey). It facilitates the
incorporation of qualifying questions, skip patterns, and quotas
for desired sample sizes, etc.
• Advantages • Disadvantages
– Breadth of user-friendly – Requires computer
features (e.g., sliding literacy and
scales, visual stimuli) internet connection
– Highly efficient and – Respondent fraud
relatively inexpensive misrepresentation
– Reduced interview
evaluation concerns
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Mixed-mode surveys
Mixed-mode or hybrid surveys use multiple data collection
methods.
• Advantages:
– Multiple advantages to achieve data collection goal
– Example: Could use online surveys to quickly reach portion of
population with Internet access and telephone calls to reach those
without Internet access.
• Disadvantages:
– Survey mode may affect response quality (e.g., personal vs.
impersonal, arm’s length surveys)
– Additional complexity (e.g., instructions for telephone vs. online
surveys)
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Various ways to gather data

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Various ways to gather data
Person-administered/computer assisted surveys
– In-home survey
– Mall-intercept survey
– In-office survey
– Telephone survey
Computer-administered surveys
– Fully automated survey
– Online survey
Self-administered surveys
– Group self-administered survey
– Drop-off survey
– Mail survey

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In-home survey

• An in-home survey is conducted by an interviewer in the

home of the respondent, where:
– Personal contact is essential to the success of the interview
– The in-home environment is conducive to the questioning
process
– E.g., seeing, touching and using product prototype
• Key Advantage:
– Conducted in the privacy of the home, which facilitates
interviewer-respondent rapport

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Mall-intercept surveys
• The mall-intercept survey is one in which the
respondent is encountered and questioned while he
or she is visiting a shopping mall
• Key Advantage:
– Since mall-intercept interviews are conducted in large shopping
malls they are less expensive per interview than are in-home
interviews.
• Key Disadvantages:
– Sample representativeness may be an issue, as only mall patrons
are interviewed (e.g., may neglect other population groups such as
online or household shoppers)
– Respondents may feel uncomfortable answering the questions in
the mall (or are in a hurry or easily distracted)
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In-office surveys
• In-office surveys take place in person while the respondent is in his or
her office or other company area.
• E.g., marketing research conducted in the B2B market requires
interviews with business executives, purchasing agents, engineers, etc.
• Key Advantage:
– Useful for interviewing busy executives
• Key Disadvantages:
– Relatively high cost per interview (e.g., time-consuming to locate these
busy individuals who may require sizable incentives)
– Gaining access is sometimes difficult (e.g., persuade to participate,
arrange appointment with secretary, re-arrange cancelled appointment
just to answer one page of questions, etc.)
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Telephone surveys
• If physical contact is not necessary, telephone
interviewing is an attractive option.

Key Advantages: Key Disadvantages:

• Reasonable cost (vs. • Respondents can’t be shown
anything or physically interact with
travelling for face-to-face the research object
interviews) • Telephone does not allow for
• Good quality sample observation of body language or
(random dialling facial expression
procedures or call-back • Limited in the quantity and types
measures) of information obtainable (e.g., not
ideal for many open-ended
• Fast turnaround (short questions)
duration) • Non-cooperation is increasing
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Telephone surveys
Central location telephone surveying
• Involves a field data collection company installing several telephone
lines at one location from which interviewers make calls.
• Key Advantages:
– Interviewing process can be monitored
– Good and efficient quality control
– Control over interviewer schedules
Computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI)
• The most advanced telephone interview companies have
computerized the central location telephone interviewing process
with systems called computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI).
Computer screen provides introductory comments and interview
questions.
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Computer-administered interviews
Fully automated surveys (completely automated
telephone surveys – CATS)
• The survey is administered by a computer but not online
• E.g., a computer dials a phone number, a recording
introduces the survey, the respondent then push buttons
on their phone to respond, thereby interacting directly
with the computer (may raise impressions of scam)
Online surveys
• The internet-based questionnaire in which respondents
answer questions online
• They are fast, easy, flexible, inexpensive, and provide real-
time access to data
• May elicit low cooperation rates if not administered using
smartphones
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Group self-administered survey
• A group self-administered survey entails administering a
questionnaire to respondents in groups rather than
individually for convenience and to gain economies of scale.
• A survey administrator may be present to clarify instructions or
how to respond
• E.g., students in their classes, church groups during meetings,
company employees at work, etc.

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Drop-off survey
• The drop-off survey, sometimes called
“drop and collect,” in which the survey
representative approaches a prospective respondent, introduces
the general purpose of the survey to the prospect, and leaves it
with the respondent to fill out on his or her own at leisure.
• Completed questionnaire is picked up at a certain time or
returned by prepaid mail.
• Improves response rates with business or organisational
respondents, particularly in countries where personal interaction
is important for information exchange.

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Mail survey
• A mail survey is one in which the questions are
mailed to prospective respondents who are
asked to fill them out and return them to the
researcher by mail.
• Key Disadvantages:
– Nonresponse, which refers to questionnaires that are not
returned.
– Self-selection bias, which means that those who do
respond are probably different from those who do not fill
out the questionnaire and return it.
– E.g., those who respond may be more involved with the
product or topic, more educated, more or less dissatisfied,
or more opinionated in general than the target population
of concern
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Panel companies
• Panel company – an institution that recruits potential
survey respondents who participate for compensation
Advantages Disadvantages
• Fast turnaround (online-based) • Not random or representative
• High quality (internal checks to samples (e.g., panel members are
ensure diligence in responding) younger, heavier online users than
• Database information (e.g., the general population)
demographic, lifestyle, behaviour) • Overused respondents (e.g.,
• Access to targeted respondents (e.g., approached multiple times and
SUV owners with 2 or more kids) become overtaxed or jaded)
• Integrated features (e.g., Qualtrics – • Cost (e.g., $12/respondent for a 10-
panel + questionnaire design, data minute survey)
analysis and dashboard, etc.)

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Choice of survey method
In selecting a data collection mode, the researcher must consider:
• Speed – How fast is data collection?
– E.g., speed favours internet or telephone over in-home or mall-
intercept
• Cost – How much will data collection cost?
– E.g., costs favour mail or online over mall-intercept or in-home
• Quality – How good is the data quality?
– E.g., if respondent control is an issue, mail or online may not be
appropriate

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Choice of survey method
Method Speed Cost Data Quality
In-home interview Slow High High
Mall-intercept interview Fast Medium Medium

In-office interview Slow High High

Telephone interview Fast Low Low

Fully automated interview Fast Medium Medium

Online survey Fast Medium Medium

Group self-administered survey Medium Low Low

Drop-off survey Fast Low Low

Mail survey Slow Low Low

*These judgments are generalizations; the special circumstances and considerations of each survey
must be taken into account in the final determination of the best data collection method.

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Other considerations
• Incidence rate: the percentage of the population that
possesses some characteristic necessary to be included in the
survey
– E.g., women who are planning facial cosmetic surgery within
the next six months – not ideal to send out interviewers door-
to-door looking for members who qualify to participate in the
study
• Situational factors
– E.g., literacy rate and reliability of postal systems may vary
between developed and developing countries
– E.g., personal interaction may be preferred in some countries
and in some cultures, monetary incentives are not encouraged

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 Any questions?

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