1 / 7

Quality and purpose: quality in quantitative methods

This text discusses the fundamental aspects of ensuring quality in quantitative survey methods. It emphasizes that a survey must be fit for purpose, accurately answering specified questions with an appropriate level of confidence. Key elements include utilizing random sampling, ensuring adequate subgroup sizes, and developing well-designed questionnaires. The importance of thorough analysis and interpretation of results is highlighted, as even a poorly conducted survey can provide insights if approached critically. Ultimately, establishing a reference framework for assessing quality is crucial for credible research outcomes.

baker-lynch
Download Presentation

Quality and purpose: quality in quantitative methods

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Quality and purpose: quality in quantitative methods Angela Dale University of Manchester

  2. Quality in survey methods • A survey is of adequate quality if it can answer specified question with an adequate degree of accuracy • it is fit for purpose • If it can provide an answer at a 1% level of confidence when only 5% is required, then it may not be cost effective

  3. Standards for surveys • Random sample – best bet of avoiding bias in sample; but need adequate sampling fame • Adequate numbers for required subgroups – depends on level of accuracy needed • Good response rate – but extent of bias is crucial • Questionnaire must be well developed • well designed questions; good flow; salient

  4. Can a scoring system work? • A scoring system can indicate overall strength on all these dimensions, but: • Higher quality costs more • Increased spend may have diminishing returns • But there will be a level below which a survey would have very low value/low credibility • Need to find a way of assessing quality against requirement

  5. Analysis issues • Results based on analysis need to reflect the quality of the survey • Importance of making clear the level of accuracy of the results • The quality of the analysis is also of great importance • An excellent survey may be badly analysed , • methods may be used poorly; interpretations incorrect • inappropriate assumptions about causality may be made • Claims may go beyond what the data can support

  6. Can a poor survey have value? • A very poor survey may still have value: • if analysed with care and weaknesses recognised • If only very limited conclusions, that can be justified, are drawn • Where there is no better alternative

  7. Conclusions • It is of value to have a reference framework for assessing quality • But equally important to use it critically and with care • The key to quality lies not just in good data but in ensuring that claims made can be supported by the data

More Related