Survey technologies

Conducting surveys is a key tool of social science methods. My focus has been with household and community surveys, but I have also had the honor of teaching with Prof. Randy Kramer. As part of a lecture I gave to “Social Science Survey Methods,” I prepared a summary of some of the available survey technologies, and various characteristics to consider when developing a survey project and choosing survey tools.

Computer and web-based surveys provide lots of powerful tools for survey work, from efficient structure and programming, to mobile deployment and database management.

I evaluated a number of computer surveys technologies

along parameters of:

  • Cost
  • Online access
  • Advanced survey features
  • Mobile options
  • Offline options
  • Sampling Frame

and created the following table:

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