1Q Survey Research and Survey Experiments
Joe Twyman, YouGov
8 - 19 July (one week course / 35 hrs)
Detailed Course Outline [PDF]
Course Content
Not all research is the same. Good survey research design is the foundation on which good quantitative research is built – and without these foundations, the quality of the data, the results and ultimately the findings will suffer.
This course focuses the practical elements of quantitative survey research, encompassing survey design, questionnaire development, sample design, data collection, using SPSS, data preparation, data analysis and the presentation of results.
There will be explanations of the general theories, but the main focus of the course will be on the practical considerations likely to be faced by those involved in the process. The approaches taken and techniques employed to ensure that all stages of the research process run smoothly, accurately and efficiently will be explored, along with examples of best practice. What problems can (and sometimes do) occur and how you can either prevent them or overcome them will also be investigated.
Although formal lectures will be employed throughout the ten days, the main emphasis of the course will be on practical exercises. Actual data from the archives of YouGov will be used throughout, covering a wide range of subjects.
The course will culminate in a simulated project where participants will be responsible for conducting each stage of the research process for a fictitious client and presenting their findings to the group
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Course Objectives
The course is aimed at building the right foundations for anyone who is looking to conduct, commission or analyse quantitative research while, at the same time, allowing for critical evaluation of all data from external sources.It is designed to be of particular use for participants who are already looking to develop their own quantitative projects or working with external, third-party data. It will also be of benefit to those participants hoping to work either WITH or IN the market research industry. .
Course Prerequisites
No prior experience of conducting quantitative research is required. Some familiarity with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powerpoint is recommended, but is not essential.
Suggested Advance Reading
Ben Goldacre, The Guardian, Saturday 16 October 2010
Lisa Evans, The Guardian, Wednesday 17 November 2010
Reading
Although there are no set texts for this course, participants may be interested in the following as further reading:
Buckingham, A. and P. Saunders. 2004. The Survey Methods Workbook. Polity Press Limited.
Czaja, R. and J. Blair. 2005. Designing Surveys. Pine Forge Press.
Fowler, F. J., Jr. 1995. Improving Survey Questions. Sage Publications.
Field, A. 2005. Discovering Statistics Using SPSS. Sage Publications.