Monday, August 24, 2009

Discussion Card for Creswell's Ch. 13

Please post your question, quote, and fact here.
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15 comments:

  1. UnknownOctober 17, 2009 at 5:30 PM

    Question: How can I insure that I have an adequate number of participants when using a mailed questionnaire? The strategies on pages 402-403 sound great, but I know how reluctant I am to complete a survey that has come in the mail-even if I had prior knowledge it was coming.

    Quote: (p. 410) "It (a good questionnaire) is short and encourages a busy professional to return it." I can appreciate this-even 15 minutes of time has become precious this semester!

    Fact: I like the instrument design step that involves performing a pilot test of your survey questions (p. 410). This would provide honest feedback for making changes before you begin, and possibly save yourself a lot of grief!

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  2. Corey NickellOctober 18, 2009 at 7:08 PM

    Corey Nickell

    Question: (Page 403) Response bias is another way biases can enter research. With so many opportunities it worries me…is reporting limitations enough if any kind of biases occurs?

    Quote: (Pg 397) “Designing good survey instruments is a challenging and complex process.”

    Interesting fact: You use a survey to describe trends, determines individual opinions, identify certain beliefs, and to provide useful information. Surveys are used a lot in education, I can see why!

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  3. UnknownOctober 20, 2009 at 6:01 PM

    Corey,
    It's interesting that you bring up the use of surveys in education. I think my district has gone survey mad. It seems like we get a survey every few days to fill out by email.

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  4. UnknownOctober 20, 2009 at 6:03 PM

    Barb,
    I agree with your quote, as well. I have found that I am more likely to fill out a survey that is sent to me by email because its easier and quicker.

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  5. UnknownOctober 20, 2009 at 6:40 PM

    Interesting Fact: Quantitative survey interviews differ from qualitative interviews in that they are structured and generally closed-ended questions, unlike the open-ended questions of qualitative interviews.

    Quote: p398 "You might include a sensitive question late in the survey, after the individual has "warmed up" by answering neutral questions and has established some rapport with the researcher."

    Question: Should the pilot group taking the pilot test be representative of the group that will take the "real" survey? If so, does that limit the researcher if he/she does not have an overabundance of willing participants within that target group?

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  6. LaDawndraOctober 20, 2009 at 6:55 PM

    LaDawndra
    Question:
    Is "Survey Monkey" a good source for conducting electronic surveys?

    Quote:
    "Surveys provide useful information to evaluate programs in school."


    Fact:
    The earliest survey conducted dates back in 1817. Surveys are the most popular design in education.

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  7. Mrs. DalrympleOctober 20, 2009 at 6:57 PM

    Question: Are mailed questionnairs being phased out by online ones?

    Fact: There are two basic types of research surveys: cross-sectional and longitudinal.

    Quote: (p. 399) "As you select an instrument or develop one of your own, pay attention to the quallity of the questions. Using good questions helps participants feel that they understand the question and can provide meaningful answers. Good questions are clear and unambiguous, and they do not confuse the participants. They also show respect for the participant by being sensitive to gender, class, and cultural needs of participants."

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  8. AnonymousOctober 20, 2009 at 7:53 PM

    Question: Survey research has the participants as the focus and not their testable question and hypothesis?

    Interesting Fact: page 388 - Surveys date back to 1817 - 1907 educational surveys - Pittsburg Survey was taking place.
    page 392 - A cohort study is a longitudinal survey design in which a researcher identifies a sub population based on same special characteristics and then studies sub population (my class) over time. Ah Ha moment! This is what I am doing with Kagan Cooperative Learning!

    Quote: Page 399 - "Using good questions helps participants feel they understand the questions and can provide meaningful answers."

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  9. AnonymousOctober 20, 2009 at 7:54 PM

    Mrs. Dalrymple - I believe the mailed are being phased out and online surveys are being used. I have found this to be true with companies I deal with.

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  10. AnonymousOctober 20, 2009 at 7:56 PM

    LaDawndra - The school district which I work for has had great success receiving valuable feedback when using Survey Monkey.

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  11. AnonymousOctober 20, 2009 at 7:58 PM

    Barbara- I agree a pilot survey is necessary. Just like any good writing piece has had a prewrite before rough draft.

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  12. UnknownOctober 21, 2009 at 8:46 AM

    Quote: In the 1890's, G. Stanley Hall surveyed educational issues ranging from educational planning for school building to issues of children in the classrooms who are slow learners." It's interesting to me that we as educators are still dealing with these issues. Page 388

    Question: Both, longitudial and cross-sedtional survey designs could fit into how I want to collect daya. Is it possible to use both survey designs in a single research project?Page 389

    Interesting Fact: To encourage good response rate for mailing questionaires Creswell gives of good follow up procedures. First we mail out the oringial questionaire, follow it 2 weeks later with 2nd questionaire to persons that have not responded, and then after another 2 weeks, send a postcard to the nonrespondents. Page 403

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  13. Dr. HendrixOctober 27, 2009 at 12:49 PM

    LaDawndra,

    Yes, Survey Monkey is a good one to use. Dr. Bogle and Dr. Ellis use it at MWSU.
    They have good return rates with it too.

    Good job,
    Dr. Hendrix

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  14. Ann GustafsonNovember 11, 2009 at 5:10 PM

    Question: So are surveys used to determine the effectiveness of programs and whether those programs need revised or maybe even scrapped? Where's my survey on NCLB!? :-)

    Quote: "In longitudinal designs, the participants may be different people or the same people."

    Interesting fact: Barbara, Dana and Ann Dotson all mentioned piloting surveys. When I read about doing a pilot test of survey questions, I thought of my own students who had just conducted surveys for math. When we were analyzing their results we found it would have been helpful for several of them if they had tried their surveys out on classmates before sending them off to other classes.

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  15. UnknownNovember 28, 2009 at 11:53 AM

    Fact: pg. 397 Designing good survey instruments is a challenging and complex process. Isn't this whole idea challenging and complex? You have to make sure the instrument will measure your variables.
    Question: Is there a website that helps you design or model after an instrument?
    Quote:" Good questions are clear and unambiguus, and they do not confuse the participants." pg 399 I say how about the researchers getting confused!?

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