Earnings Survey
Introduction
The first research question will be ‘Do women earn less money than men. And if so, why?’ The stated question is best answered using a survey method. The survey would capture data on earnings for men and women at the same level in the career journey. For instance, a human resource manager who is a woman will be compared with another human resource manager for a similar company (in size). The target of the research survey will be to capture data that explains the earnings distributed regarding gender. Every professional employee with a contract that runs for more than three years will be eligible for the survey.
The independent variables will be the respondents’ gender and position in the company or organization, while the dependent variable will be the amount earned in a year including bonuses and other performance rewards. Other independent variables will be years of experience and education level. The dependent variables survey questions will be a combination of open-ended and close-ended questions. The open-ended questions will be concerning the employee attitude towards the labor industry, and why they think it favors a certain gender. The closed questions will be yes and no questions that will capture the information about general aspects of the survey.
The survey design makes it easier to start with the independent variables where the answers will be expected to be direct and straightforward. For instance, asking questions concerning with the number of years of experience, the level of education and gender is very easy because they just capture the factual and general information about respondents. Also, these questions can be close-ended, to call for yes and no answers. On the other hand, the dependent variables will be open-ended questions that ask more specific questions like the amount earned in a year and the period it takes for one to get promoted.
Illegal drugs survey
The second research question will be, ‘Are attempts to control illegal drug use succeeding or failing?’. The survey would target professionals in policy making organizations in the government and other not-for-profit institutions that deal with issues of drug abuse and its effects. A survey would provide important information about the subject because it will capture data related to drug abuse as coming after measures that have been implemented. The choice of the survey method will also shed light on the feelings of the professionals in these sectors. As noted, eligible respondents will be professionals in the illegal drug fighting sector and former addicts.
The independent variables will be age, race, and gender, as the survey will seek to understand the impact of drug abuse on these groups. Also, the questions for the independent variables will be closed in a manner that will allow the respondents to fill by ticking the boxes. The dependent variables will be the number of addicts reported in the last one year, the number of policies implemented and resources (financial) used in the programs. That will make the dependent variables have open-ended questions that will allow for narrations.
For this question, the approach takes a random mix of the type of questions to ask. For instance, the surveyor can ask about the policies implemented and the financial resources invested in the projects, then dig deeper to know how that policy have affected illegal drug users in different categories, like gender, race, and age. The most difficult survey question will be asking the authorities on the amount of money invested in the fight against illegal drug use and the impacts of those efforts. The least difficult question will be asking former addicts about their race and gender.
American families
The third research question will be ‘What are the major functions of America family and how have those been changing over time?’ This question is best answered by the use of a survey that will indulge respondents on the issue of family, and what they think as best understanding of the functions of a family in America. Eligible respondents will be American parents in family settings.
The independent variables will be age, race, and gender because the survey will seek to understand the views on the family from different social groups in the American society. In that regard, the questions for the independent variables will be short and direct, where respondents will just tick their classification in a box. On the other end, the dependent variables will be the composition of the family (single parent or both parents), three main functions of the family and changes to family ideals over time. That will make the questions open-ended where respondents will narrate their opinions about the topic, independently.
The survey about families will be the trickiest because the answers might turn out to be wide varied, a factor that provides difficulties during analysis. To make it easier, some questions on the dependent variables will be closed, like asking the respondents about their view on broken marriages. The question of experience in unstable marriages will be the most difficult one because it will rapture personal chords that are very emotional. However, asking about children and the experience of raising them up will be an easy venture topic because most people in the American society hold the idea of having children in high regard.
Reflection
Designing a survey is an interesting exercise because it opens someone into the possibilities that emerge from survey questions. Previously, I viewed this stage as a footnote in the survey and research process, but through this exercise, I just learned that it is as important as any other part of the exercise. Asking the right questions and defining the research in the right way contributes to the general success rate of surveys, taking success as the dependability of the collected data.
