Abstract
Survey research is one of the most popular methods of conducting quantitative research. Other popular methods of gathering data in quantitative research include experimentation and quasi-experiments. Survey has benefits of being flexible and easy to apply to different quantitative research methods. It can be conveniently designed and conducted in order to draw conclusions about various matters and situations.
Surveys are conducted through the normal format of undertaking quantitative research. First, there is the need to transpose the research problem into aims and objectives. And then there is the need to formulate a proper research procedure and system through the identification of an appropriate methodology. From there, there is the need to identify the survey method and the design of appropriate questionnaires in order to gather the data. When data is gathered, there is the need to interpret it.
A good questionnaire is one that is relevant, material and understandable. Materiality means the questions must be within the scope of the research problem and aims. The questions must be relevant to the issue and they must be in a form that respondents can conveniently understand. Also, a good questionnaire must be easily coded. This way, the findings can be easily aggregated and put through a statistical processing system that can be easily utilized to draw conclusions and inferences from the research.
Introduction
Quantitative research is focused primarily on finding “how many” or “how often” something happens in reality. It is therefore concerned with the definition of measures, the formulation of instruments for the collection of data and the gathering and processing of the data. Surveys are amongst the most important research methods for undertaking quantitative studies. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the role of surveys in quantitative criminal and justice research. This will include the evaluation of the way good research is done and how survey questionnaires are compiled.
Surveys in Quantitative Research
Survey research is the most popular quantitative research design in the social science. This means they are indispensable tools in criminal justice research which builds upon social science research methods. The main reason why surveys are popular is that they are flexible in design and they are also flexible in their administration.
This implies that there are many ways through which data collection can be done by way of designing questions and presenting them to respondents. This is because there could be questions that are simple and easy to be understood by many people in the population under review for the research.
The study of crime and criminal behavior is mainly something that has to do with statistics. This is because crime and actions to control it will have to take into account the gross actions and processes of a given population. And since it is based on public funds and it is meant to protect the public, there is the need to gather information and knowledge about the dominant trends and patterns. Surveys come in handy because they provide the opportunity to study a given population and provide prescription and appropriate action against any form of negativity and provide solutions to issues and problems.
Quantitative research relies on the definition of reliable measures and the accurate measurement of these variables and standards. This means that it is about the predefinition of proper measures and standards and going reasonable limits to gather the data, evaluate it and analyze it in order to draw logical conclusions that provide accurate answers to the core research questions.
Quantitative research methods in criminal justice include experimental, quasi-experimental and survey research design. This is because such methods help to quantify various variables and find ways of studying them and analyzing them in order to draw logical conclusions.
Survey research has an advantage because it is able to allow a researcher to study a large sample space as compared with experimentation. Surveys imply the study of different variables and pointers that have many implications and pointers which can be conveniently aggregated and analyzed to draw conclusions that represent a larger and bigger population. This is not the case with experimentations and quasi-experiments which are often limited to a rigid control group.
Furthermore, survey in criminal justice is much simpler to be conducted. It is easier to define the paradigms and draw various inferences to conduct survey research. On the other hand, other methods like experimentation and quasi-experiments are complicated because it will require the use of various models and approaches that could culminate in difficulties which might lead to some results that might be inappropriate.
Also, survey research is easily linked to popular research methods and procedures. Therefore, almost every statistical analysis method can be used as a way of interpreting and analyzing survey research. This is not the case with other quantitative research methods which might be somewhat require some complicated and rigid methods and approaches. This might make things difficult for a researcher and could produce conclusions and findings that are somewhat limited to a small area of criminal justice practice.
General Pattern for Quantitative Survey Research
Quantitative research is about establishing the relationship between variables and as such, surveys are just tools for attaining that end. This is because there is the need to examine a relationship between to concepts and ideas in order to draw a conclusion that shows the way things are best done. Therefore, the following model is essential in conducting a quantitative survey research:
Define the research problem;
Gather background information;
Define the variables of the research;
Design the data collection instruments;
Data collection;
Data analysis and interpretation
Theorization.
Every research in criminal justice will have to solve a problem. Most analysts say that the cost of conducting a research in criminal justice must be justified by the solution it brings to the criminal justice system. Therefore, it is necessary for a specific research problem to be identified and defined. This should guide the design of a quantitative survey research. To do this, there is the need to define the competing components of the research that must be studied. This is done by the formulation of a set of variables that are workable and can be studied in the entire research process.
The formulation of the research problem must lead to the identification of a structured approach and method through which the research can be done. This is done by laying out the research questions in ways that can provide a workable approach through which research can be done. This is because normal problems in society are not sufficient to lay the foundation for a good research. A good quantitative research has to be put in a form that can be studied and this lays the foundation for the definition of variables which will lead to the definition of an approach for a proper survey.
When the variables are defined, there is the need for an appropriate data collection system and process to be formulated. This is meant to identify the main features of the research and then the best approach and methodology for the collection of data can be formulated. This is done in the best ways and processes through which the reality of the research questions can be done. Thus, if a survey is conducted, there is the need for the right variables to be identified and through that there will be the creation of an appropriate data collection system.
After the appropriate data collection system is identified, there is the need to draw and identify the methodologies for the construction and creation of the right codes and questions. Coding is very important and vital in conducting surveys because it helps to identify the main elements and features of interest. This will help to provide the right parameters within which there could be all the different pointers that are most relevant and material to the research.
With these variables settled, there is the opportunity for the collection of data through the survey. The survey involves the gathering of information that is important and vital towards the findings. This therefore means there must be the gathering and collection of information usually through various methodologies and approaches through which the relevant instruments can be used as a means of collecting information. Through this, there is the presentation of survey results which are transcribed where necessary in order to present a set of information that is important and vital to the research and its related activities. After the findings are put together, there is the collection of information for the formulation of an appropriate conclusion.
Conducting a Survey Research
Quantitative surveys are fundamentally affected by the identification of measures and parameters for the study. This is because quantitative research is primarily concerned with the ability to identify the best ways and manner in which information can be measured numerically and statistically. Since criminal justice relates to the society and human behavior, it is often difficult to place values on actions and other elements of research. Therefore, a survey must be concerned with the definition of measures and standards. This is done at the point of coding.
When coding is done, there is the need to define the research questions and requirements. This will be through the formulation of things that members of the society can understand and appreciate in the survey. This could be in the form of interviews or close-ended questions. They should be relevant, understandable, and comprehensive. They must provide answers that reliably measure the fundamental research questions.
The researcher must then define the sample or population to be studied in the research. This is usually a representative section of the population that provide information about what is of interest. This should be carefully chosen to provide insights that answer the core research questions. It must therefore be used as basis for the study and should be the underlying standard on which the findings will be gathered and studied closely.
After information is gathered from a survey, there must be the coding of the findings in order to apply an appropriate numerical or statistical measure. This will process the numerical data from the raw form into a form that is meaningful and can be used for the identification of trends and patterns. These findings will be the basis for the identification of what the data means and the realities on the ground. These observations will be the basis for the identification of what the data means.
With the identification of the main patterns and trends, there is an opportunity for the formulation of a theory or a conclusion from the survey findings. This will help to create a general view of what the findings mean in relation to the broader population.
Guidelines for Developing a Good Questionnaire
The steps in designing questionnaires require three main things – materiality, relevance and understandability. These three elements are important in attaining validity and reliability of findings. Therefore, there must be a scope of research that is identified in relation to the fundamental research question. This should give rise to the definition of the material elements that must be added. The materiality aspect must define what is relevant and what is not. After that, there is the need to put together questions that respondents can easily understand and respond to in order to give a true and fair picture of what actually happens.
There must also be accurate measures that can be used to evaluate and assess the answers a respondent will give in a survey research in criminal justice. Also, the delivery method for administering a research is important. Therefore, whether it is to be self-administered, mailed or computer delivered, it must be done in a way that promotes a connection and the presentation of relevant facts and information that will provide the best kind of feedback from respondents.
Finally, a good questionnaire must be easy to interpret. This means the findings must be easily transcribed and put onto an appropriate scale through coding. The process must be such that the researcher can use some basic and popular measures like metastat to undertake data mining and easily convert that to a statistical aggregator. The procedure must make it easy to put together the findings and come up with dominant trends and patterns to show how the research is to be interpreted. Through this, there can be a convenient way of drawing conclusions and finding the best theory that relates to the core research.
References
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