Survey Monkey for Research Methods

Abstract

This assignment is an excellent beginning for students to apply some survey design concepts they have been learning about in sociological research methods. Students utilize an online application (Survey Monkey) to design an Internet based survey on a topic of their choosing. Beyond learning about questionnaire construction, students learn about the...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Research Methods

Resource Type(s):

Assignment

Class Level(s):

Any Level

Class Size(s):

Medium

Usage Notes

This assignment can be used as a stand-alone activity or a foundation for a larger questionnaire. This assignment is a great way to get students to begin to apply some concepts of survey design, which they can read about in Babbie’s The Practice of Social Research (2013). This activity will highlight some of the unanticipated issues that can occur after...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will practice designing a questionnaire that is free of spelling errors. Survey questionnaires will also contain items that are clear, avoid leading participants (bias), negative statements, and double-barreled questions.
2. Students learn some advantages and disadvantages of online survey methods.
3. Students report and interpret results of frequency data tables.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Each student submits a questionnaire to the instructor and his or her classmates. The instructor and classmates review the questionnaire and make suggestions for future revisions.
2. Students discuss advantages and disadvantages of survey methods. Responses should include ease of software data analysis, limitation of data input errors, and reduction of cost to researchers. Disadvantages include clarity, bias, and representativeness.
3. Each student reviews his or her question summary data to check for possible response errors. Students reflect on unanticipated responses to questions and how this may affect a researcher’s ability to discuss results.