BASIC CONCEPT IN COMMUNITY SURVEYING

A. Survey Questionnaires
- Are tools used for obtaining specific kinds of information.
Survey – is the process of gathering information from a population or a sample
Questionnaire – set of printed or written questions with a choice of answers, devised for the
purpose of a survey

Questions in the questionnaire can be structured in four forms:

1. Open-ended – respondents are not provided with choices in answering the questions.
2. Close-ended with ordered response categories – respondents are provided choices
according to importance of gradation
3. Close-ended with unordered response categories – respondents are provided
choices but without gradation /order of importance.
4. Partially closed-ended – respondents are given limited choices with the opportunity to
add more information (others, please specify)

The process of survey questionnaire:

1. Make a survey
2. Obtain responses
3. Analyze results
Characteristics of a good question:
1. A good question is unbiased
2. A good question must be clear and simply stated
3. Questions must be precise
4. Good questionnaires lend themselves to easy analyses

 Focus Group Discussion

- a way to gather together people from similar backgrounds or experiences to
discuss a specific topic of interest.
- a discussion guided by a moderator according to the prepared interview
guidelines. The survey is carried out in several groups of 8 to 10 persons
selected in accordance with the research aims.
Focus groups can be a group interviews, research method, focused efforts in data gathering &
group discussion
Uses of Focus Groups
- Problem identification
- Planning
- Implementation
- Assessment
Planning a focus groups
- Planning
- Recruiting
- Moderating
- Analyzing & reporting
Guiding principles for the questions
- Conversational
1
 - Clear & brief
- Seek feedback from professionals
- Allow sufficient time
- Develop questioning skills
Questioning techniques
- Topic guide – list of topic or issues to be pursued in the focus groups
- Questioning route – sequence of questions in complete, conversational
sentences
Moderating Focus Groups: Guiding Principles
1. Be interested in participants
2. Be ready to hear unpleasant views
3. You cannot moderate all groups
4. Use your techniques talents

 Rapid Rural Appraisal

- is a data collection technique with multi-perspective analysis.
- it has short duration & conducted by multi-disciplinary team interacting with
the community.
- it obtains usually non-empirical data to guide further study and plan
intervention programs or other possible courses of action
- it is rapid and effective way of obtaining behavioral, economic & sociological
information about a particular topic or situation.
- able to deal with complex systems and can provide insight into situations from
multiple perspectives.
- it is so versatile and inventive, open to superficial & producing
error in the data, not suitable in collecting precise or statistically significant
information
- it generates large amount of data which needs comprehensive and thorough
analysis & synthesis.

Techniques of Rapid Rural Appraisal:

1. Interview & question design techniques for individual, household & key informant interviews
2. Methods of cross-checking information from different sources
3. Sampling techniques that can be adapted to a particular objective
4. Methods of obtaining data in a short time frame
5. Group interview techniques including focus group interviewing
6. Methods of direct observation at site level
7. Use of secondary data sources
General principles of RRA
1. Optimizing trade-offs
2. Offsetting biases
3. Triangulating
4. Learning from and with the rural people
5. Leaning rapidly & progressively

2
 B. Sampling Techniques & Data Gathering

Sampling – is the act of studying only a subset of the population which is, a representative of the
entire population.

Terminologies:
Population – is the collection of all the elements whose characteristics are being studied.
Target population – collection of elements whose characteristics are being studied.
Sample – a selection of some elements from the population.
Sampled population – collection of elements from which a sample of units are selected
Population mean – is the average of all elements in a sample frame or population
Population frame – is a listing of all the individual units in the population.
Sampling frame – list of sampling units
Probability sampling – is a sampling process that utilizes some form of random selection. In this
sampling, each unit is drawn with known probability.
Random selection – is performed by selecting a group of subjects (sample) for a study from a
larger group (population).

Nonprobability sampling – or judgment sampling, depends on subjective sampling. It is a

process where probabilities cannot be assigned to the units objectively, and hence it becomes
difficult to determine the reliability of the sample results in terms of probability. It does not involve
random selection of samples.
Sampling error – occur as a result of calculating the estimate based on a sample rather than the
entire population.

Probability Sampling Techniques:

1. Simple random sampling – is drawn in such a way that each element of the population
has an equal chance of being selected in the sample.
2. Systematic random sampling – is a sample obtained by choosing every kth element, with
the initial element selected at random from the first k element. The first element may be
considered as having followed the last element in the population.
3. Stratified random sampling – is obtained by first dividing the population into
homogeneous subpopulations (or strata) and then taking a random sample from each
stratum. It is the collection of all the random samples from all the strata.
4. Cluster sample – is obtained by first dividing the population into sub populations (based on
geographical or other similar criteria), whereby each population must closely match the
population. Afterwards k clusters are randomly selected.
 If all members in each of the k selected clusters are chosen for the cluster sample it is
called one stage cluster sample.
 If a random sample is selected from each of the k selected clusters in a cluster
sampling, then the collection of all the random samples from all the selected clusters is
called two stage cluster sample.

Nonprobability Sampling Techniques:
1. Convenience sampling – includes the most accessible elements of the population. This is
based on the convenience of the researcher. Most common examples are interviews
conducted frequently by television news programs to get a quick (although non-
representative) reading of public opinion.
3
 2. Snowball sampling – is obtained when an element of a sample is suggested or identified
by another member of the sample. This sampling is useful when gathering information
about informal groups, such as those dealing with child labor, prostitution and the like.
3. Judgment or purposive sampling – is selected based on the judgment and prior
knowledge of an expert. The chances of a selection based on judgment of being
representative are small.

Data Collection:
- is the process of gathering & measuring information on variables of interest, in
an established systematic way that enables one to answer stated research
questions, test hypotheses & evaluate outcomes.
Five steps of the data collection process;
1. Define the objectives of the survey or study.
2. Define the variable and the population of interest.
3. Define the data collection and data measuring schemes. This includes sampling frame,
sampling procedures, sample size and the data measuring device (questionnaire,
telephone, and so on).
4. Collect your sample. Select the subjects to be sampled and collect the data.
5. Review the sampling process upon completion of collection.

Important points to consider when collecting data:

1. If measurements of some characteristics from people (such as height) are being obtained,
better results will be achieved if the researcher does the measuring instead of asking the
respondents for the value
2. The method of data collection used may be expedite or delay the process. Avoid a medium
that would produce low response rates.
3. Ensure that the sample size is large enough for the required purposes.
4. Ensure that the method used to collect data actually results in a sample that is
representative of the population.

Methods of Data Collection:

1. Direct or interview method – this method use at least two persons (an interviewer &
interviewee/s) exchanging information
2. Indirect or questionnaire method – method wherein written answers are given to
prepared questions. This method requires less time and is less expensive since the
questionnaires can simply be mailed or hand carried.
3. Registration method – this is a method enforced by certain laws
4. Observation method – this is a method which observes the behavior of individuals or
organizations in the study. This is also used when the respondents cannot read or write.
5. Experiment method – this method is used when the objective of the study is to determine
the cause & effect of certain phenomena or event.

4
 C. Data Processing and Analysis:
Data processing - the converting of raw data to machine-readable form and its
subsequent processing.
Data analysis – is the process of bringing order, structure and meaning of the mass
of collected data.

The purpose why we analyze data is to obtain usable & useful information. This may include:
a. Describe & summarize the data
b. Identify relationships between variables
c. Compare variables
d. Identify the difference between variables
e. Forecast outcomes.

In data analysis, it uses scales of measurement; nominal, ordinal & numerical scales
Nominal scale – data can be classified into a non-numerical or name categories; the order in
which these categories can be written or asked is arbitrary.
Ordinal scale – the data can be classified into non-numerical categories; an inherent order exists
among the response categories; this can be seen in questions that call for ratings of quality (ex.
very good, good, fair, poor, very poor)
Numerical scale – where numbers represent the possible response; there is a natural ranking of
categories; there is a quantifiable difference within categories & between consecutive categories.

Data Analysis can be done into two categories;

1. Qualitative analysis- can be summed up in one word – categorical. Data is not described
through numerical values or patterns, but through the use of descriptive context.
2. Quantitative analysis – refers to a set of processes by which numerical data is analyzed. It
involves the use of statistical modeling such as standard deviation, men & median.

D. Data Interpretation & Report Writing

Data interpretation
- implementation of processes through which the data is reviewed for the
purpose of arriving at an informed conclusion.
- refers to the task of drawing inferences from the collected facts after an
analytical & experimental study.
- Process of attaching meaning of the data

Importance of data interpretation:

- Usefulness and utility of research findings lie in proper interpretation.
 To understand the abstract principle that works beneath the findings
 Establishment of explanatory concepts
 To explain the real significance
 Interpretation is required for hypothesis results

5
Techniques of data interpretation;
1. Reasonable explanation of the relations & interpret the lines of relationships in terms of the
underlying process
2. Extraneous information must be considered
3. Consultation with experts
4. Consider all relevant factors affecting the problem to avoid false generalization.

Different steps in writing report:

1. Logical analysis of the subject matter
2. Preparation of the final outline
3. Preparation of the final rough draft
4. Rewriting & polishing the rough draft
5. Preparation of final bibliography
6. Writing the final draft