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Part V: Statistical Studies and the Hunt for a Meaningful Relationship
also include those who don’t even have access to a computer during their
workday? (See how fast surveys can get tricky?)
The target population that probably makes the most sense here is all the
people who use Internet-connected computers in the workplace. Everyone
in this group at least has access to e-mail, though only some of those with
access to e-mail in the workplace actually use it, and of those who use it, only
some use it for personal e-mail. (And that’s what you want to find out — how
much they use e-mail for that purpose.)
You need to be clear in your definition of the target population. Your defini-
tion is what helps you select the proper sample, and it also guides you in your
conclusions, so that you don’t overgeneralize your results. If the researcher
didn’t clearly define the target population, this can be a sign of other prob-
lems with the survey.
Choosing the type and timing of the survey
The next step in designing your survey is to choose what type of survey is
most appropriate for the situation at hand. Surveys can be done over the
phone, through the mail, with door-to-door interviews, or over the Internet.
However, not every type of survey is appropriate for every situation. For
example, suppose you want to determine some of the factors that relate to
illiteracy in the United States. You wouldn’t want to send a survey through
the mail, because people who can’t read won’t be able to take the survey. In
that case, a telephone interview is more appropriate.
Choose the type of survey that’s most appropriate for the target population,
in terms of getting the most truthful and informative data possible. You also
have to keep in mind the budget you have to work with; door-to-door inter-
views are more expensive than phone surveys, for example. When examining
the results of a survey, be sure to look at whether the type of survey used is
most appropriate for the situation, keeping budget considerations in mind.

Next you need to decide when to conduct the survey. In life, timing is every-
thing, and the same goes for surveys. Current events shape people’s opinions
all the time, and although some pollsters try to determine how people feel
about those events, others take advantage of events, especially negative
ones, and use them as political platforms or as fodder for headlines and
controversy. For example, surveys about gun control often come up after a
shooting takes place. Also take note of other events that were going on at the
time of the survey; for example, people may not want to answer their phones
during the Super Bowl, on election night, during the Olympics, or around
holidays. Improper timing can lead to bias.

In addition to the date, the time of day is also important. If you conduct a
telephone survey to get people’s opinions on stress in the workplace and
you call them at home between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., you’re going
to have bias in your results; those are the hours when the majority of people
are at work (busy being stressed out!).

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