An Introduction to Survey Research, Polling, and Data Analysis - Softcover

Weisberg, Herbert F.; Krosnick, Jon A.; Bowen, Bruce D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0803974027 ISBN 13: 9780803974029

Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc, 1996

Synopsis

This book describes how surveys are conducted in such a way that they can be believed, explains how to read statistical reports and analyze data, and provides guidelines that are useful in evaluating polls.

Using examples from contemporary large surveys and polls, as well as from the media, the authors stress the importance of understanding tables thoroughly before moving to interval statistics. In addition, they cover: the design of surveys; the steps for sampling and question writing; interviewing and coding strategies; survey analysis from frequency distributions and cross-tabulations through to control tables and correlation/regression; the ethics of survey research; and how to read and write reports of survey research.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Why should we believe the results of surveys based on relatively few interviews? What are the appropriate cautions in interpreting survey reports? Aimed at answering these questions, An Introduction to Survey Research, Polling, and Data Analysis, Third Edition describes how surveys are conducted in such a way that they can be believed, explains how to read statistical reports and analyze data, and provides guidelines that are useful in evaluating polls. Using frequent examples from contemporary, large national surveys and polls as well as from the media, the authors stress understanding tables thoroughly before moving to interval statistics. In addition, they cover survey design, sampling and question-writing steps, interviewing and coding strategies, and survey analysis from frequency distributions and cross-tabulations to control tables and correlation/regression. They also cover the ethics of survey research and how to read and write survey research reports. Readers of this book will learn to distinguish good from bad polls and to better design and conduct their own surveys and polls.

About the Author

I am a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Ohio State University. My research and teaching interests include voting behavior, legislative behavior, and research methods, with a focus on survey research methods and scaling techniques.

Edition details

• Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0803974027
• ISBN 13: 9780803974029
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 408