surveys
DESCRIPTION
Informal polls. Surveys. In general. Informal surveys can be used to gain a general sense of what a group of people think about an issue. Not rigidly, statistically based. Surveys tell communicators what people think about a topic - Generate responses. Localization. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
In general
Informal surveys can be used to gain a general sense of what a group of people think about an issue.
Not rigidly, statistically based. Surveys tell communicators what people
think about a topic- Generate responses
Localization
Informal surveys can allow us to localize (gauge local opinion) on a topic:
For example – Legal medical marijuana- Good idea or bad idea?- Why or why not? Explain- College students vs. others?- Other questions?
Survey topics
Issue in the news:- MSU football team’s hot start- Upcoming election- End of ban on gays in military
Ongoing issues:- Economy- Roads- Environment
Keep in mind
A survey does not:- Give us the opinion of the entire community.- It gives us the general opinion of the group of people surveyed.- Make sure when you present your story/report, you assemble it accordingly
Questions
Your survey questions should be a mix:- Closed ended questions – what are they? Why ask these?- Open ended questions – what are they? Why ask these?
How many questions?
People are busy. Better chance of response if you have fewer questions.
Ask no more questions than you need in your survey.
What’s a good number?
How many people?
Depends on your audience, the population you are trying to survey, etc.
Tons of variables as to how many responses you will receive.
For a typical campus issue story, 50-100 probably works.
Round number of surveys sent out.
How many responses?
Again, there are many variables with response rate.
More>fewer responses If you need to, send out more surveys. If few people respond, might that be part
of the story?
Who should I survey?
Depends on your topic. CMU-related topic – best to survey
CMU-related audience members. Equal number of men and women?
Depends on topic. Equal number of freshmen and seniors?
Depends on topic.
Who should I survey? Cont. Looking for a wide variety of opinions
related to your topic. For example: Want to do a story on how
international students view CMU. Who do we survey? Report on bike paths. Who to survey? Report on dorm food. Who to survey?
Survey characteristics
Have your questions move in a logical order.
Start with explanation of the issue. Summarize quickly, but clearly.
Alternate closed and open-ended?- For example …
Example
1. Do you support stem cell research in Michigan? (Closed-ended)
2. Can you please explain your answer to question one? (Open-ended)
3. Do you think stem cells should be used in commercial research? (Closed)
4. Is there a moral or societal reason not to use stem cells in for-profit ventures?
Logical order
Having the questions go in a logical order:
Helps to focus the respondent Lets the respondent get comfortable
with the survey – no odd twists Can speed the process – good for more
responses.
I’ve got responses!
Now what? Look over the results – any trends? Interesting open-ended responses …
good for quotes? Or might it be interesting to talk to that
person further? Do I have enough responses? Send out
more?
Assembling the info
Reports, statistics, document research – done before questions formulated and surveys sent.
Review that along with responses. What angle/focus should my report
take?
Writing the story - lead
Lead - let’s hook the reader. Two approaches:
- Describe the major finding.“A survey of 50 CMU students found that most do not support a new medical school on campus.”- That’s one approach. Is it very interesting?
The lead, part two …
Joe Smith came to CMU to become a teacher. He wonders why the tuition he pays is helping to fund a medical school.
“CMU should stick to doing what it does best – educating undergraduate Michigan residents,” he said. “I don’t want my money paying for a medical school.”
Continued …
Smith was one of 37 CMU students in a 50-student survey who said the medical school is not a good idea for the university.
Second lead – uses an average person to introduce. Why do that? Good approach or not?
Rest of story …
Two or three paragraphs after lead should tell us the survey findings.
Arrange in logical order, flow smoothly from one point to another.
Mix in direct quotes with results. Quotes from survey responses, or if you collected others via interview after.
Rest of story, cont.
Clear, smooth transitions from one point to the next.
Avoid anonymous sources. If someone doesn’t want their name
used for whatever reason, and you are OK with that, identify why. Example …
Beyond name, other identifying characteristics? Year, hometown, major, age, gender, etc. Why or why not?
Be careful with …
Wording that may criticize or attach labels to survey answers.
Thoughtful, interesting, insightful Bizarre, strange, uninformed Just tell us what the respondents said,
and use the word “said.”
Multimedia
Graphics/charts/polls with our report? Link to any statistical reports report uses Sidebar talking to experts? Short video interviews? Photos, maps, etc.
Surveys, summary
Are like a cousin to polls. Are not polls. Give us an idea of what some people
think about an issue. Do not write report as if everyone thinks
that way about an issue. Good for generating a variety of
responses.
Surveys, process
1. Topic – idea, then research
2. Formulate questions
3. Send out surveys
4. Gather, consider results
5. Plan report – lead/intro?
6. Write report
7. Present/turn in