Customer Reviews

Survey Methodology (Wiley Series in Survey Methodology)

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The authors have written a very good book on survey research that can serve equally well as a guide for project managers or a text in a survey methods course. I looked through our office's copy as I was preparing to conduct a large survey and was sufficiently impressed to buy my own to underline in and spill soda on.

Practitioners benefit from a well-organized reminder of survey design principles they have followed in previous projects. "The Life Cycle of a Survey From a Design Perspective" (p. 41) and "The Life Cycle of a Survey From a Quality Perspective" (p. 49) in Chapter 2 remind us how and why we design surveys. They are helpful when writing a survey proposal or project plan, even for experienced readers. The rest of the book reminds us how to design and draw samples, write and order questions, collect and analyze data, and report results responsibly. We learn the latest innovations along the way.

Instructors and students in a survey methods course are also well-served. The twelve chapters cover the breadth appropriate in such a course. "For More In-Depth Reading" sections at the end of each chapter satisfy motivated readers with a focused selection of advanced texts. "Keywords" in the vocabulary of survey research are tagged in the margins as they are defined in the text and listed at chapter end for summary studying. Exercises after each chapter aid learning self-assessment--presumably, model answers are available from the publisher.

One instructional feature of the book is worth special note. Spaced through the book are 23 half-page reviews of key research studies. Each review is set off in a gray column on the outside half of its page. These reviews are concise article profiles, each presenting the Study Design, Findings, Limitations of the Study, and Impact of the Study--often supplemented by a data table. They remind readers of the research basis of survey design, point to relevant literature, and model how we should extract important implications. These examples show students how to digest the meaning of research and remind practitioners to draw from and contribute to the continuing development of the field. Nicely done!

It is clear throughout the book that these authors respect their discipline. As they contribute to it, they value the contributions of others. When they disagree with prior survey practices, they do so with gentle hands and the awareness that their own contributions will be superseded in time. I recommend this book strongly to students and practitioners. Read it, refer to it, recommend and loan it to your colleagues. Respect it. But never, ever treat it as the unquestioned "bible" of survey methods, using it to reject new developments it does not include. This would be contrary to the vision of an evolving, progressing discipline so respected by the authors.

Terrific review of how to design and execute quality surveys from some of the most respected names in market research. I bought six copies for the executive team - I can't think of a stronger endorsement. - David Haynes, CEO Western Wats

I got this book upon recommendation from a colleague who is a statistician. But I'm not a statistician so there is lots of formulas and not any real world examples that I could understand.I had taken may be one or two courses in college about Statistics. This book didn't make any sense to me.

I am very pleased with my book and with the short time of the delivery, thanks for the great service.