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Note re laptops:
Participants should bring a laptop to this course. No specific software packages are required, however a number of webistes will be visited during exercises throughout the week and it is ideal if course participants can take part in these.
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This course covers the foundations of modern survey methodology with a focus on survey design. The course is relevant to qualitative researchers who want to understand the nuts and bolts of survey methods; PhD student with little prior experience in survey design but who plan to include a survey component in their research design; and, researchers that want to upgrade their survey technological expertise especially for multi-mode designs. The course is hands on and involves experiential learning. You will learn about survey research by designing and conducting your own research across survey modes using survey software for computer assisted telephone interviewing, scanning and processing of postal surveys, and internet surveys. There will be ample time for discussion of your own survey research interests.
Day 1 (Monday): What is survey research? (What is it? When would you use it? Strengths and weaknesses of survey research); A brief history of sruvey research (Historical background; When is it used today; An examination of major surveys in Australia; Surveys in the news); The scientific principles of survey research; Functions of survey research; and The survey research process.
Day 2 (Tuesday): Target populations (Populations and frames; Coverage properties of frames; Alternative frames for households or persons; Frame issues for other target populations; Studying rare populations; Coverage error); Sample Design (Samples and estimates; Simple random sampling; Other types of sampling; Systematic selection; Complex designs; Within household selection); Nonresponse in sample surveys.
Day 3 (Wednesday): Modes of administration – data collection options (Self administered; Interviews; Advantages and disadvantages of modes; Maximising response rates; Multi-mode designs). Software for data collection. Critical evaluation of mode options through experience.
Day 4 (Thursday): Development of the instrument (Core issues in questionnaire design; Question construction including question types and response categories; Evaluating and testing survey questions; Flow of the instrument; Instructions; Sequencing; Skip logic; Format and layout; Unimode designs for multi-mode surveys).
Day 5 (Friday): Ensuring quality (Reliability; Validity; Sources of survey error; Minimising error); Weighting; Principles and practices of research ethics; Project budgeting; Project management including issues of processing and coding; Survey data documentation and metadata; Analysis of existing survey data. Testing your own questions, instrument, and survey design. Individual consultation.
