Social Statistics

3.

Data Collection Methods

3.1.

Survey Research

3.1.1.

Questionnaire Design

3.1.1.1.

Types of Questions

3.1.1.2.

Closed-Ended Questions

3.1.1.3.

Open-Ended Questions

3.1.1.4.

3.1.1.5.

3.1.1.6.

Semantic Differential Scales

3.1.1.7.

Question Wording Effects

3.1.1.8.

Question Order Effects

3.1.1.9.

Response Set Bias

3.1.1.10.

Social Desirability Bias

3.1.1.11.

Pretesting Questionnaires

3.1.1.12.

3.1.2.

Modes of Survey Administration

3.1.2.1.

3.1.2.2.

Telephone Surveys

3.1.2.3.

3.1.2.4.

Face-to-Face Interviews

3.1.2.5.

Mixed-Mode Surveys

3.1.3.

Response Rates and Nonresponse

3.1.3.1.

Calculating Response Rates

3.1.3.2.

Nonresponse Bias

3.1.3.3.

Strategies to Increase Response Rates

3.1.3.4.

Weighting for Nonresponse

3.2.

Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs

3.2.1.

True Experiments

3.2.1.1.

Random Assignment

3.2.1.2.

3.2.1.3.

Experimental Groups

3.2.1.4.

Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design

3.2.1.5.

Posttest-Only Control Group Design

3.2.1.6.

Solomon Four-Group Design

3.2.2.

Quasi-Experiments

3.2.2.1.

Nonequivalent Groups Design

3.2.2.2.

Interrupted Time Series Design

3.2.2.3.

Multiple Time Series Design

3.2.2.4.

Regression Discontinuity Design

3.2.3.

Internal Validity

3.2.3.1.

Threats to Internal Validity

3.2.3.2.

History Effects

3.2.3.3.

Maturation Effects

3.2.3.4.

Testing Effects

3.2.3.5.

3.2.4.

External Validity

3.2.4.1.

Threats to External Validity

3.2.4.2.

Population Validity

3.2.4.3.

Ecological Validity

3.3.

Observational Studies

3.3.1.

Structured Observation

3.3.2.

Unstructured Observation

3.3.3.

Participant Observation

3.3.4.

Non-participant Observation

3.3.5.

Recording Observational Data

3.4.

Using Existing Data

3.4.1.

3.4.2.

Administrative Records

3.4.3.

Government Surveys

3.4.4.

Publicly Available Datasets

3.4.5.

Secondary Data Analysis

3.4.6.

Advantages of Using Existing Data

3.4.7.

Limitations of Using Existing Data

3.4.8.

Ethical Issues in Using Existing Data

Previous

2. Fundamental Concepts

Go to top

Next

4. Sampling Techniques