Collecting, Managing, and Assessing Data Using Sample Surveys

A step-by-step guide to the design and implementation of surveys.

Peter Stopher (Author)

9780521681872, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 19 January 2012

560 pages, 82 b/w illus. 70 tables
24.7 x 17.5 x 2.6 cm, 1.09 kg

'This is a 'must have' reference for all people who want to design, conduct and/or communicate market research. It addresses material that builds on more traditional texts but adds value in many ways. In particular, it sheds light on the critical importance of correct sampling and valid questionnaire design as the core of good research. Peter Stopher leaves no stone unturned in his quest to ensure that researchers understand what is needed in their planning, execution and delivery. He provides a comprehensive, rigorous and evidence-based coverage of the basics of survey methodology, with enough nuggets of more advanced and often-neglected topics to be of interest to the experienced practitioner.' Philip Mitchell-Taverner, Taverner Research

Collecting, Managing, and Assessing Data Using Sample Surveys provides a thorough, step-by-step guide to the design and implementation of surveys. Beginning with a primer on basic statistics, the first half of the book takes readers on a comprehensive tour through the basics of survey design. Topics covered include the ethics of surveys, the design of survey procedures, the design of the survey instrument, how to write questions and how to draw representative samples. Having shown readers how to design surveys, the second half of the book discusses a number of issues surrounding their implementation, including repetitive surveys, the economics of surveys, web-based surveys, coding and data entry, data expansion and weighting, the issue of non-response, and the documenting and archiving of survey data. The book is an excellent introduction to the use of surveys for graduate students as well as a useful reference work for scholars and professionals.

List of figures
List of tables
1. Introduction
2. Basic statistics and probability
3. Basic issues in surveys
4. Ethics of surveys of human populations
5. Design a survey
6. Methods for conducting surveys of human populations
7. Focus groups
8. Design of survey instruments
9. Design of questions and question wording
10. Special issues for qualitative and preference surveys
11. Design of data collection procedures
12. Pilot surveys and pretests
13. Sample design and sampling
14. Repetitive surveys
15. Survey economics
16. Survey implementation
17. Web-based surveys
18. Coding and data entry
19. Data expansion and weighting
20. Nonresponse
21. Measuring data quality
22. Future directions in survey procedures
23. Documenting and archiving
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Probability & statistics [PBT], Economic statistics [KCHS], Econometrics [KCH]