Examples of your survey questions
   • People are inherently good and therefore have the 
    ability to want to change their ways and be a 
    functioning member of society
     –SA, D, A, SA
   • Offenders should not be incapacitated after 
    committing a crime
     –AS, D, A, SA
   • How effective do you feel incapacitation is for 
    offenders?
     – 1 (not effective at all) to 5 (very effective)
              Survey Basics
   • Definition of “survey” research 
   • Types of survey research
     –Self-administered
       • Paper/pencil, internet (email)…
     –Interview
       • Phone, in-person 
           Rules of Engagement
     –statement vs. question 
     –closed vs. open
       • Good closed-ended questions = mutually exclusive and exhaustive 
        – Some exceptions here
     –Avoid “double-barreled questions”
     –Shorter is better
     –Avoid negative items
     –Avoid Bias 
     –Global questions vs. specific 
     –MUST BE CLEAR (meaning of “Native Americans”) 
     –Should be relevant 
     Questionnaire construction
  • General Formatting
   –DON’T SQUISH!
  • Contingency questions (why use, how use)
  • Matrix questions (upside/downside)
  • Ordering items
  • Instructions 
  • ALWAYS PRE-TEST (best way to find errors)
         Self-administered surveys
   • Methods
      –Administer to group
      –Mail survey
        • How to increase response rates (why key issue?)
          – Acceptable response rate? + Can you show whether there is 
           bais?
          – Dillman “Total design method”
          – The devil is in the details
            » Bulk vs. stamps
          – FOLLOW UP MAILINGS