CHAPTER SEVEN

DESCRIPTIVE-SURVEY RESEARCH

Members
KABRISTANTE, MITCHIE L.
KILAPKILAP, TZARY A.

Chapter Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to

1. Define the purpose of survey research and describe the various types of survey research
2. Distinguish among research questions, survey subquestions, and individual survey items
3. Outline the first four steps in carrying out descriptive-survey research
4. Name the different components of a survey (cover letter, demographics, survey body, and
instructions) and describe the essential elements of each, along
with why the element is important and the function(s) the element serves
5. Explain the meaning and importance of confidentiality in survey research and
distinguish confidentiality from anonymity
6. Outline the criteria for writing good survey questions
7. Distinguish between the different types of survey research
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson students will be able to:
K- Explain the descriptive research survey
S- Identify the steps for doing a descriptive research survey
A- Appreciate the types of survey research

Descriptive research is a research design that is used to investigate different phenomenon and
situations.

 It always targets to answer questions like how that situation happen, when in terms of the
time or date, where in terms of the place it happened and what the issues or phenomena.
 Descriptive research used by researchers when they want to define the problem and why
it exist.
 Survey is a technique of descriptive research that is used to determine the opinions of a
specified population.
 Basically, surveys are method of data collection in which information is gathered through
oral or written questioning.
Survey is a technique of descriptive research.
 That is used to determine the opinions of a specified population.
 Basically, Surveys are method of data collection in which information is gathered
through oral or written questioning.

Characteristics of Descriptive - Survey Research

There are many misperceptions about what research is, what research does, and the various
research approaches that can be used to answer a research question. Descriptive-survey research
is by no means excluded from these misperceptions. Many people believe that descriptive-survey
research is not valid or rigorous in its approach; in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
Overexposure to survey research may be what drives these common misperceptions. Survey
research is everywhere.

 A pre-established instrument has most likely been developed by the researcher.

 Most responses to the questions on the survey are quantitative (e.g. ratings) or will be
summarized in a quantitative way.
  The sample is selected from a larger population or group to allow the study’s finding to
be generalized back to the larger group

Descriptive - survey research is a type of quantitative research, it begins with a research

question and a set of sub-questions as in qualitative research.

Steps for Doing Descriptive - Survey Research

The process of descriptive-survey research includes the following steps:

 Designing and developing the survey

 Selecting the sample
 Piloting the survey
 Administering final survey and collecting data
 Analyzing data

Step 1 : Designing and developing the survey or Questionnaire

A survey or questionnaire is the main tool or instrument used to collect data in a descriptive -
survey research study.
Different elements of a survey
 Cover letter - one method that researchers commonly use to relay such important
information to participants.
 Demographics - are descriptors that provide detailed information about participants in
the study.
 Body of the survey- the development of individuals survey items is often confusing to
those who have not created a survey, Students often mistakenly think that the sub
questions are the survey questions.
 Directions for each section - to ensure accuracy of the data, it is essential that as the
researcher, you provide instructions that clearly tell participants what to do ( and think
about) when answering each item of the survey.
  Criteria for writing good survey items - regardless of whether items are developed by
the researcher or borrowed, all items should meet certain criteria for good survey items.
Step 2: Selecting the Sample
Out of all the quantitative approaches, survey research tries to use the largest sample possible. In
many cases, survey research is conducted with either a census population, meaning the sampling
of the entire population (e.g. all the teachers in a school district r building) or a randomly
selected sample for a larger population.

Step 3: Piloting the Survey

Think of piloting as a kind of dress rehearsal for a survey. Participants who make up a pilot
sample are usually chosen at random and are given the survey to complete but are also asked to
examine the survey on many different fronts: clearly of language and terms, basic spelling and
grammar, depth and breadth of sub-questions and items, and overall psychometric properties of
the instrument ( e.g. scales are correct, etc.)

Step 4: Administering the survey

Many practical steps need to be considered in administering the survey.

 Mailing
 Other Methods
 Response Rate

Types of Survey Studies

Designs that follow the same sample over time
 Annual Panel Survey Study - the researcher select a sample of participants, survey them
and repeat the survey with the same group for several years.
 Follow- Up Survey Study - In a follow - Up Survey Study, these new teachers might be
surveyed initially on graduation, again the following year and maybe for a couple of
years after that (an annual Panel survey).
 Longitudinal Survey Stud- a longitudinal Survey Study is similar to a follow up study
in that a sample is selected and the entire sample is sampled periodically but unlike a
follow up survey, the main function of the longitudinal study is to track participants over
an extended amount of time.
Designs that select different Samples Overtime
 Trend Survey Study - are typically used to examine the perceptions of group that are
having or have had a shared experience at a particular time.
 Cohort Survey Study - the researcher uses the same population each year but selects
different samples from that group over time .

Chapter Summary
Descriptive-survey research is one of the most common types of quantitative research in
education. Researchers use cover letters to accompany their surveys. The cover letter defines the
purpose of the study, discusses the confidentiality of data, provides the researcher’s contact
information. The survey itself is composed of different sections that gather different types of
data. The first section of the survey is called the demographic section and collects personal
information about the participants. The body of the survey is made up of similar items grouped
together. These groupings are aligned with the research subquestions the researcher is asking.
When writing survey items, the researcher should adhere to some basic criteria. Survey items
should be written in clear, concise language. Surveys can be administered to participants using
several methods. Whereas alternative methods for survey administration such as e-mail, phone,
or in-person are used, the traditional mail-out, mail-back method continues to be the most widely
used procedure.
There are different types or designs of survey studies. The most common design is the one-shot
design where the researcher, after piloting the survey, administers it once to the sample. Annual
panel survey studies, follow-up studies, and longitudinal survey studies are designs that follow
the same sample over time. Designs that select different samples over time include trend and
cohort surveys. Designs that follow the same or different samples over time both require surveys
to be administered multiple times. In addition, some descriptive studies use observational
measures or self-reports to describe groups at one point in time or to describe differences
between groups that differ in demographic variables.
I. MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Is a research design that is used to investigate different phenomenon and situations.

A. Descriptive Research
B. Survey Research
C. Research Design
D. Cumulative Design

2. That is used to determine the opinions of a specified population. Is a technique of

descriptive research.

A. Descriptive Research
B. Survey
C. Research Design
D. Cumulative Design

3. Is a type of quantitative research, it begins with a research question and a set of

subquestions as in qualitative research. A type of quantitative research.

A. Descriptive-survey research
B. Exploratory-survey research
C. Causal-survey research
D. Survey research

4. Is selected from a larger population or group to allow the study’s findings to be

generalized back to the larger group.

A. Sample
B. Interview
C. Ordinal
D. Ratio

5. Method of data collection in which information is gathered through oral or written

questioning.
 A. Sample
B. Interview
C. Ordinal
D. Survey

II. IDENTIFICATION

1. Is the main tool or instrument used to collect data in a descriptive-survey research study.
2. The development of individual survey items is often confusing to those who have not
created a survey. Students often mistakenly think that the sub questions are the survey
question.
3. In many cases, survey research is conducted with either a census population, meaning the
sampling of the entire population.
4. The main function of the longitudinal study is to track participants over an extended
amount of time.
5. Typically used to examine the perceptions of group that are having or have had a shared
experience at a particular time.

III. ESSAY

1. What is Descriptive-survey research and why is it important?

IV. PROBLEM-SOLVING

1. A researcher is interested in surveying fourth graders for the purposes of describing how
they feel about high-stakes testing and how, if at all, they prepare for these tests. From a
developmental perspective, discuss some possible challenges this researcher might
encounter in designing such a survey for students at this age.

ANSWER KEY

I.MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. A
2. B
 3. A
4. A
5. D

II. IDENTIFICATION

1. Survey or Questionnaire
2. Body of the Survey
3. Selecting the Sample
4. Longitudinal Survey
5. Trend Survey Study

III. Answers may vary

IV. Answers may vary

REFERENCE

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reading achievement. Elizabeth, NJ: Kean University. (ERIC Document Reproduction

Service No. 417380).

Clark, P. (2001). Research on all-day kindergarten. ERIC Digest. Champaign, IL: ERIC

Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. (ERIC Document

Reproduction Service No.543982). Retrieved February 2, 2003, from ERIC database.

Cryan, I., Sheehan, R., Wiechel, J., & Bandy-Redden, I. G. (1992). Successful outcomes of full-

day kindergarten: More positive behavior and increased achievement in the years after.

Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 7, 187–203.