Module 2: Surveys
About This Module
The sections of this module provide a summary of steps you can follow to help you conduct an effective survey:
- Determine if a survey is appropriate
- Planning for and designing a survey
- Obtaining institutional approval
- Piloting a survey
- Administering a survey
- Analyzing data
- Reporting results
Introduction
Surveys are popular data collection tools that can be used to assess the impact of educational programs or interventions. In assessing the impact of IPM programs, surveys can be employed to collect self-report data from program participants or target populations on:
- Pesticide use
- Scouting or monitoring practices
- Sources of information that growers use to make decisions
- Participation in partnerships and networks
- Characteristics of farms or farmers (e.g. # farm acres, # of years farming)
- Characteristics of facility managers or facilities (# occupants, # type of facility manager)
Types of Information
Before you begin developing a survey, it is important to carefully consider the type of information you are interested in. Here are some of the types of information that surveys can help you collect:
- Attitudes & Beliefs: What people think is true or the values and perspectives they bring to a situation.
- Example: In your routine pest management practices, how important is scouting for pests?
- Knowledge & Skills: What participants know, for example, after attending a training or workshop.
- Example: List the most important pests you should be scouting for on a weekly basis.
- Behavior: What people do.
- Example: How many times per week did you scout for pests during the month of July?
An overview that considers some of the same topics and issues in greater detail is available online from University of Wisconsin Extension at Overview of Surveys
Next Page: When Is a Survey Appropriate?
Go to "When Is A Survey Appropriate" using new tab
Go to Home