Online Survey Administrated in a Foreign Country

Abstract

This class activity consists of an online survey administered in a foreign country. Students write survey questions using Internet-based survey programs, and the instructor pastes the survey link to Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, an online platform for recruiting and paying research subjects. The project is useful for including an international and/or...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Research Methods

Resource Type(s):

Assignment

Class Level(s):

Any Level

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

The online survey in a foreign country is part of a semester-long research project and takes approximately 5-weeks. Students and instructors will need access to online survey tools (i.e. Qualtrics, Survey Monkey, etc.); an account with Amazon’s Mechanical Turk; and sufficient funds to recruit and incentivize subjects to complete the survey (e.g., 50 cents...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Students learn how to design survey questions for a foreign audience (i.e. English as second language) using survey software.
2. Students learn the strengths and weaknesses sampling methods (e.g. convenience sampling vs. random-sampling).
3. Students practice writing up survey results and interpreting their meaning.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Students complete survey questions avoid bias, double-barreled questions, confused wording, culturally offensive or confusing terminology. Work is reviewed and suggestions provided by peers and instructor.
2. Students explain the strengths/weaknesses of sampling methods noting how certain groups are under- or over-represented vis-à-vis the population. The instructor grades the assignments and provides clarification.
3. Students use online software to analyze data, constructing tables of frequencies, cross-tabulations, and present and interpret data to class and the instructor. Instructor grades written assignments and class discusses student presentations.