Surveys

Strategic Research Associates (SRA) conducts surveys using telephones, mail, the Internet, and person-to-person interviewing on-site. The optimal choice of a survey data collection method is dictated by (among other things) your research objectives, the budget, the time-line, the choice of target population, availability of coverage lists, anticipated questionnaire length, and factors related to reliability and validity of measurement.

Based upon these criteria, SRA will recommend a method (or set of methods) and a sample size for your research project. We will also do the following:

  1. Develop a questionnaire that fully addresses your research objectives: SRA will work closely with you in creating a survey instrument in which you will have confidence. We will also consider survey method – telephone, mail, Internet, or on-site – in our questionnaire development.
  2. Formulate an effective sampling strategy: We are experts in data collection issues and employ a range of sampling strategies. For probability samples, these might include anything from simple random selection to complex multi-stage sampling. The data will be properly weighted (when required) to help ensure no population sub-group is over- or under-represented in the sample.
  3. Conduct efficient and professional data collection, emphasizing quality control:
    • For telephone interviewing: SRA offers an experienced, dedicated, and well-supervised staff working in SRA’s modern, computerized facility. The computer-aided workstations used by SRA interviewers, which allow for randomization and rotation of survey question order to reduce biases, provide fast, secure data collection. Interviewing performance and collected data are held to high standards.
    • For mail surveys: SRA has exceptional experience in conducting large-scale mail surveys. To generate a representative sample, an adequate sampling list is needed (but is often hard to find). Given a good list, SRA typically employs multiple follow-ups – up to five waves of mailings – to achieve a reasonable response rate. Completed questionnaires are scrutinized for problems.
    • For Internet surveys: SRA can conduct either open (accessible to anyone) or targeted (password accessible) Internet surveys, handling all project aspects internally. Invitations to participate in a web-based survey are sometimes communicated by telephone or mail to produce a more representative sample.
  4. Provide comprehensive analysis and a meaningful report: SRA’s experienced researchers know how to analyze and model any type of outcome – a proportion, rate, ordinal rating, frequency count, categorical measurement, time-to-event measurement, or a true metric quantity – under any type of sampling plan and weighting. From the analysis, SRA will develop a detailed but easy-to-understand set of reports thoroughly addressing your research objectives.