Survey Research Methods

by Floyd J. Fowler

Overview

The Fifth Edition of Floyd J. Fowler Jr.’s bestselling Survey Research Methods presents the very latest methodological knowledge on surveys. Offering a sound basis for evaluating how each aspect of a survey can affect its precision, accuracy, and credibility, the book guides readers through each step of the survey research process. This fully updated edition addresses the growth of the Internet for data collection and the subsequent rapid expansion of online survey usage, the precipitous drop in response rates for telephone surveys, the continued improvement in techniques for pre-survey evaluation of questions, and the growing role of individual cell phones in addition to—and often instead of—household landlines. Throughout the book, the author puts the profound changes taking place in the survey research world today into perspective, helping researchers learn how to best use new and traditional options for collecting data.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483323596
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	09/18/2013
Series:	Applied Social Research Methods
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	184
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Floyd J. Fowler, Jr. is a graduate of Wesleyan University and received a PhD from the University of Michigan in 1966. A Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts Boston since 1971, he was Director of the Center for 14 years. Dr. Fowler is the author or co-author of four textbooks on survey methods, including Survey Research Methods, Improving Survey Questions, Standardized Survey Interviewing (with Mangione), and Survey Methodology (with Groves, Couper, Lepkowski, et. al), as well as numerous research papers and monographs. His recent work has focused on studies of question design and evaluation techniques and applying survey methods to studies of medical care.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Types of Error in Surveys
3. Sampling
4. Nonresponse: Implementing a Sample Design
5. Methods of Data Collection
6. Designing Questions to Be Good Measures
7. Evaluating Survey Questions and Instruments
8. Survey Interviewing
9. Preparing Survey Data for Analysis
10. Analyzing Survey Data
11. Ethical Issues in Survey Research
12. Providing Information about Survey Methods
13. Survey Error in Perspective

Editorial Reviews

The text is clear, logical and straightforward. It provides extensive applied information, coupled with a good understanding of the rationale underlying survey construction.

Joseph Kush

Even students with very little background in research methods can follow this text easily.

Candan Duran-Aydintug

The greatest strength [of this book] is the articulation of the concept of total survey design and how the different components affect the credibility of the survey.

Gilbert Jacobs

[The book] is accessible enough for the masters students but theoretical enough for the doctoral students.

Claudette Peterson

"It provides a concise overview of the entire survey research process and does so using clear and easy to understand language….Survey Research Methods is a well-packaged and valuable resource for researchers. It is well written and has many desirable features, particularly with respect to the intended audience"

Organizational Research Methods