Floyd J. Fowler

Praise for the First Edition: "The book makes a valuable contribution by synthesizing current research and identifying areas for future investigation for each aspect of the survey process." —Journal of the American Statistical Association "Overall, the high quality of the text material is matched by the quality of writing . . ." —Public Opinion Quarterly ". . . it should find an audience everywhere surveys are being conducted." —Technometrics This new edition of Survey Methodology continues to provide a state-of-the-science presentation of essential survey methodology topics and techniques. The volume's six world-renowned authors have updated this Second Edition to present newly emerging approaches to survey research and provide more comprehensive coverage of the major considerations in designing and conducting a sample survey. Key topics in survey methodology are clearly explained in the book's chapters, with coverage including sampling frame evaluation, sample design, development of questionnaires, evaluation of questions, alternative modes of data collection, interviewing, nonresponse, post-collection processing of survey data, and practices for maintaining scientific integrity. Acknowledging the growing advances in research and technology, the Second Edition features: Updated explanations of sampling frame issues for mobile telephone and web surveys New scientific insight on the relationship between nonresponse rates and nonresponse errors Restructured discussion of ethical issues in survey research, emphasizing the growing research results on privacy, informed consent, and confidentiality issues The latest research findings on effective questionnaire development techniques The addition of 50% more exercises at the end of each chapter, illustrating basic principles of survey design An expanded FAQ chapter that addresses the concerns that accompany newly established methods Providing valuable and informative perspectives on the most modern methods in the field, Survey Methodology, Second Edition is an ideal book for survey research courses at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also an indispensable reference for practicing survey methodologists and any professional who employs survey research methods.

The Fifth Edition of Floyd J. Fowler Jr.’s bestselling Survey Research Methods presents the very latest methodological knowledge on surveys. Offering a sound basis for evaluating how each aspect of a survey can affect its precision, accuracy, and credibility, the book guides readers through each step of the survey research process. This fully updated edition addresses the growth of the Internet for data collection and the subsequent rapid expansion of online survey usage, the precipitous drop in response rates for telephone surveys, the continued improvement in techniques for pre-survey evaluation of questions, and the growing role of individual cell phones in addition to—and often instead of—household landlines. Throughout the book, the author puts the profound changes taking place in the survey research world today into perspective, helping researchers learn how to best use new and traditional options for collecting data.

What is a good question? Although there are several potential sources for error in survey data, the validity of surveys depends on the design of the questions asked. This book shows how to word and format a question, write questions that will evoke the kind of answers for which they were designed, and empirically evaluate survey questions. In addition, the book covers topics such as how to write good questions aimed at collecting information about objective facts and events, how to measure subjective phenomena, some alternative methods for attacking common measurement problems; shows how to evaluate the extent to which questions are consistently understood and administered, and explains how to evaluate the data resulting from a set of questions. A clearly written book, Improving Survey Questions enables researchers and practitioners to write better survey questions and helps users of survey data to evaluate their data more critically.

Accuracy, reliability, verifiable and error-free results - these are the goals that anyone involved in survey interviewing desires. A practical guide to producing standardized - and reliable - interviews, this volume represents a blending of social science theories of interviewing dynamics, the authors' own extensive research on interview-related error and a compilation of research evidence from other prominent methodologists. How to avoid errors, sampling design issues, question construction methods, supervision techniques, training methods and the organization of data collection staffs are all thoroughly examined. In addition, prescriptions for improving the quality of survey data results are clear and concise. Both students learning survey research methods for the first time and experienced, active researchers will find this volume indispensable.