PAM 6040: Qualitative, Survey, and Mixed Method Approaches to Policy Research Library Research Guide: Books

A complete, hands-on guide to the use of statistical methods for obtaining reliable and practical survey research Applied Survey Methods provides a comprehensive outline of the complete survey process, from design to publication. Filling a gap in the current literature, this one-of-a-kind book describes both the theory and practical applications of survey research with an emphasis on the statistical aspects of survey methods. The book begins with a brief historic overview of survey research methods followed by a discussion that details the needed first steps for carrying out a survey, including the definition of a target population, the selection of a sampling frame, and the outline of a questionnaire with several examples that include common errors to avoid in the wording of questions. Throughout the book, the author provides an accessible discussion on the methodological problems that are associated with the survey process, outlining real data and examples while also providing insight on the future of survey research.

Collecting, Managing, and Assessing Data Using Sample Surveys provides a thorough, step-by-step guide to the design and implementation of surveys. Beginning with a primer on basic statistics, the first half of the book takes readers on a comprehensive tour through the basics of survey design. Topics covered include the ethics of surveys, the design of survey procedures, the design of the survey instrument, how to write questions and how to draw representative samples. Having shown readers how to design surveys, the second half of the book discusses a number of issues surrounding their implementation, including repetitive surveys, the economics of surveys, web-based surveys, coding and data entry, data expansion and weighting, the issue of non-response, and the documenting and archiving of survey data. The book is an excellent introduction to the use of surveys for graduate students as well as a useful reference work for scholars and professionals.

Surveys enjoy great ubiquity among data collection methods in social research: they are flexible in questioning techniques, in the amount of questions asked, in the topics covered, and in the various ways of interactions with respondents. Surveys are also the preferred method by many researchers in the social sciences due to their ability to provide quick profiles and results. Because they are so commonly used and fairly easy to administer, surveys are often thought to be easily thrown together. But designing an effective survey that yields reliable and valid results takes more than merely asking questions and waiting for the answers to arrive.Geared to the non-statistician, the Handbook of Survey Methodology in Social Sciences addresses issues throughout all phases of survey design and implementation. Chapters examine the major survey methods of data collection, providing expert guidelines for asking targeted questions, improving accuracy and quality of responses, while reducing sampling and non-sampling bias. Relying on the Total Survey Error theory, various issues of both sampling and non-sampling sources of error are explored and discussed. By covering all aspects of the topic, the Handbook is suited to readers taking their first steps in survey methodology, as well as to those already involved in survey design and execution, and to those currently in training.

Now more than ever, OECD countries are investing significant resources in regulatory policies and reforms. At the same time, governments are under increasing pressure to explain such reforms and their benefits to the public. Perception surveys are an important part of this process and they are being used by OECD members to measure how citizens and businesses view regulation in their countries.This guide helps officials use perception surveys to evaluate and communicate the results of reform processes. While the guide draws on examples from the regulatory field, it is also useful for other policy areas. In non-technical language, the guide clearly explains the challenges involved in the design and use of business and citizen perception surveys - and ways to overcome them. It also helps officials get the most out of survey results, whether conducted internally or by external experts.

Survey Methodology is becoming a more structuredfield of research, deserving of more and more academic attention. TheSAGE Handbook of Survey Methodology explores boththe increasingly scientific endeavour of surveys and their growing complexity,as different data collection modes and information sources are combined. The handbooktakes a global approach, with a team of international experts looking at localand national specificities, as well as problems of cross-national, comparativesurvey research. The chapters are organized into seven major sections, each ofwhich represents a stage in the survey life-cycle: Surveys and Societies Planning a Survey Measurement Sampling Data Collection Preparing Data for Use Assessing and Improving Data Quality The SAGE Handbook of SurveyMethodology is a landmark andessential tool for any scholar within the social sciences. 

This book focuses on quantitative survey methodology, data collection and cleaning methods. Providing starting tools for using and analyzing a file once a survey has been conducted, it addresses fields as diverse as advanced weighting, editing, and imputation, which are not well-covered in corresponding survey books. Moreover, it presents numerous empirical examples from the author's extensive research experience, particularly real data sets from multinational surveys.

Practical guidelines are provided for determining which statistical techniques are appropriate for analyzing research questions and hypotheses. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is used to illustrate statistics typically employed by survey researchers (e.g., frequencies, crosstabs, chi-square, t-tests, analysis of variance, correlation, regression, logistic regression, discriminant analysis) as well as indicators of practical significance (e.g., effect sizes, odds ratios). Data manipulation strategies for transforming variables are described. Procedures for testing measurement reliability, handling missing data, and dealing with outliers are examined. SPSS procedures and output are illustrated using graphics that explain their meaning and interpretation in an easy to understand manner.

After interviews, the most common data collection instrument undergraduates turn to is a short survey. This requires them to write a questionnaire. Sounds easy - it's not! This LQF teaches the art of open and closed questions, how to prompt higher response rates, when and how to use basic Likert scales, and everything else you need to know to get the most out of your questionnaire.