Module 10: Data Collection Methods

Tool 4: Surveys and Interviews

• IPDET © 2009

• Excellent for asking people about:
• perceptions, opinions, ideas
• Less accurate for measuring behavior
• Sample should be representative of the whole
• Big problem with response rates

Structures for Surveys

• IPDET © 2009

• Structured:
• Precisely worded with a range of pre-determined responses that the respondent can select
• Everyone asked exactly the same questions in exactly the same way, given exactly the same choices
• Semi-structured
• Asks same general set of questions but answers to the questions are predominantly open-ended

Structured vs. Semi-structured Surveys

• IPDET © 2009

Structured	harder to develop easier to complete easier to analyze more efficient when working with large numbers
Semi-structured	easier to develop: open ended questions more difficult to complete: burdensome for people to complete as a self-administrated questionnaire harder to analyze but provide a richer source of data, interpretation of open-ended responses subject to bias

Modes of Survey Administration

• IPDET © 2009

• Telephone surveys
• Self-administered questionnaires distributed by mail, e-mail, or websites
• Administered questionnaires, common in the development context
• In development context, often issues of language and translation

Mail / Phone / Internet Surveys

• IPDET © 2009

• Literacy issues
• Consider accessibility
• reliability of postal service
• turn-around time
• Consider bias
• What population segment has telephone access? Internet access?