Program
Introduction to Survey Research Methods
UM-PKU Joint Institute
19 June - 14 July 2006
Faculty: Nora Cate Schaeffer Course location: C307 Room, School of International Studies. Days: Monday through Thursday Time: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. |
Assisting faculty: Review and homework lab: |
Course description: This course is about survey data and where they come from. The course examines the principal features of survey design and how they contribute to total survey error. Topics include: mode of interview, basic sampling concepts, effects of nonparticipation, issues in instrumentation, interviewing, and computer assisted data collection. Most of the course is spent reviewing research that describes the effects of features of survey design on survey error.
This course considers issues that arise before analysis of data begins. Some course assignments, particularly those about sampling, require some comfort with elementary statistical concepts and formulas. The assignments and readings require familiarity with principles of research design. The conceptual and practical tools introduced in this course may be useful in planning and executing your own research.
Lectures proceed somewhat independently of the readings. The schedule of readings given here is fixed, regardless of how much the lectures appear to deviate from the schedule. Lectures do not systematically summarize the readings.
Lectures, readings, and assignments are in English.
Acknowledgments. Faculty of the University of Michigan-University of Maryland Joint Program (JPSM) in Survey Methodology have generously provided access to lectures that they have developed for use with this textbook and some limited material based on their lectures may appear in the lecture notes and are indicated by “*” in the slide title. Do not reproduce this material without permission from the authors at JPSM.
Handouts. Handouts reproducing the lecture notes will usually be made available. Handouts are only for the use of students who are registered in the class and may not be reproduced or distributed.
Format of the class. The lecture period will include approximately a 30 minute break. Of that time, 10 minutes will be used for break and 20 minutes will give the co-instructor the opportunity to answer questions in Chinese. There will be two 1-hour lab review sessions during the week, conducted in Chinese. Homework will be reviewed in detail during that session.
Course Assignments and Requirements
Exercises based on the readings. Short exercises based on the readings will be due several times weekly. The exercises provide an opportunity for you to apply the material covered in the readings and check your understanding of the readings. These exercises will sometimes be the basis for class discussion and must be handed in, but will not be formally graded. Some exercises will ask you to apply concepts discussed in class to survey research in China. We will use the following scale: “3” if complete, substantially correct, and well-documented; “2” if there are minor deviations from the “3” standard; “1” if incomplete, poorly presented, or showing little effort. Individual problems will not be marked, but some problems will be discussed in class. Assignments handed in late will be subject to a one-grade penalty. Exercises will be reviewed in the lab sessions. Exercises contribute 10% to your grade.
Examinations. There will be two midterm examinations that will each cover approximately half of the material in the course. Each contributes 45% to the grade.
Office hours and appointments. There is a sign up sheet outside my office. I may cancel office hours when no one is signed up.
Required Book
Groves, Robert M., Floyd J. Fowler, Mick Couper, James M. Lepkowski, Eleanor Singer, and Roger Tourangeau. 2004. Survey Methodology . Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.
Schedule of Exercises
| Topic Week |
Due Date (Week-Day) |
Topic | Exercises |
| 1 | Introduction | SM, p. 36: 2 and select 2 others | |
| 1 | 1 - Wednesday | Errors in Surveys | SM, p. 63-64: 1, 2, 4, 5 |
| 1 | 1 - Friday | Sampling | SM, p. 91: 1a-1c, 2a, 3 (assume SWOR, see p. 99 for formula) |
| 1 | 2 - Monday | Sampling | SM, p. 132: 4-5 (ignore fpc) |
| 2 | 2 - Wednesday | Mode | SM, p. 166: 1-6, 13 |
| 2 | 2 - Friday | Nonparticipation | SM, p. 197: 1-3, 9 |
| 3 | 3 - Monday | Midterm Exam | |
| 3 | 3 - Wednesday | Questions | SM, p. 238: 1-3,7 |
| 3 | 3 - Friday | Evaluating Questions | SM, p. 267: 3,4 (+ cog interviews), 5 |
| 4 | 4 - Monday | Interviewing | SM, p. 298: 1-3 |
| 4 | 4 - Wednesday | Post-survey processing | SM, p. 341: 1-3 |
| 4 | Ethics | SM, p. 374: 1-3 (discussion only) | |
| 4 | 4 - Thursday | Final Exam | |
Note: Changes to the assignments and their due dates may be announced in class. Students are responsible for all changes announced in class.
Introduction to Survey Research: Course Outline
Copies of articles and book chapters other than the text are available on the class website.
Week 1
Monday - Tuesday: Introduction and Errors in Surveys
SM, Chapter 1, “An Introduction to Survey Methodology”
SM, Chapter 2, Inference and Error in Surveys
Wednesday and Thursday: Basic Sampling Concepts
SM, Chapter 3, Target Populations, Sampling Frames, and Coverage Error
SM, Chapter 4, Sample Design and Sampling Error
Sampling Strategies for the Proposed National Children’s Study,” Westat, Chapter 2, Sampling Strategies for the Proposed National Children’s Study,” Westat, Chapter 2, <http://nationalchildrensstudy.gov/research/analytic_reports/upload/Sampling-Strategies- for-the-Proposed-National-Children-s-Study-October-25-2002-prepared-by-WESTAT.pdf>
Week 2
Monday - Tuesday: Mode of Survey and Interview
SM, Chapter 5, Methods of Data Collection
Couper, Mick P. 2000. "Review: Web Surveys: A Review of Issues and Approaches." Public Opinion Quarterly 64(4):464-94.
Wednesday - Thursday: Nonparticipation
SM, Chapter 6, Nonresponse in Sample Surveys
AAPOR Standard Definitions <http://www.aapor.org/pdfs/standarddefs_4.pdf> and “Calculating e,” <http://www.aapor.org/pdfs/erate.pdf>
Week 3
Monday: Midterm
Tuesday - Wednesday: Survey Instruments and Questions
SM, Chapter 7, Questions and Answers in Surveys
Schaeffer, Nora C. and Stanley Presser. 2003. "The Science of Asking Questions." Annual Review of Sociology 29:65-88. Available from my website: <http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/cde/faculty/schaeffe.htm>
Jenkins, Cleo R. and Don A. Dillman. 1997. "Towards a Theory of Self-Administered Questionnaire Design." Pp. 165-96 in Survey Measurement and Process Quality, edited by L. Lyberg, P. Biemer, M. Collins, E. de Leeuw, C. Dippo, N. Schwarz, and D. Trewin. N.Y.: Wiley-Interscience.
Thursday: Evaluating Survey Questions
SM, Chapter 8, Evaluating Survey Questions
Presser, Stanley, Jennifer M. Rothgeb, Mick P. Couper, Judith T. Lessler, Elizabeth Martin, Jean Martin, and Eleanor Singer. 2004. "Methods for Testing and Evaluating Survey Questions." Public Opinion Quarterly 68(1):109-30.
Week 4
Monday: Interviewers and Interviewing
SM, Chapter 9, Survey Interviewing
Maynard, Douglas W. and Nora Cate Schaeffer. 2002. "Standardization and Its Discontents: Standardization, Interaction, and the Survey Interview." Pp. 3-45 in Standardization and Tacit Knowledge: Interaction and Practice in the Survey Interview, edited by Douglas W. Maynard, Hanneke Houtkoop-Steenstra, Nora Cate Schaeffer, and Johannes van der Zouwen. New York: Wiley.
Tuesday: Post-Survey Processing and Estimation
SM, Chapter 10, Postcollection Processing of Survey Data
Wednesday: Standards of Practice, Review
SM, Chapter 11, Principles and Practices Related to Scientific Integrity
The American Association for Public Opinion Research. 2000. Ethics Code. Ann Arbor, MI: AAPOR.
<http://www.aapor.org/pdfs/AAPOR_Code_2005.pdf>
Thursday: Final Exam