High School Social Sciences - Survey Assignment

Step 1 - Crafting a Research Question First, you need to determine the topic you wish to research and create a research question. Your research should involve some aspect of technology and change. This might include: Something very concrete dealing with people's experiences such as: how the way that people have used technology has changed; how individual access to technology has changed; and/or how people's comfort with technology has changed. Or, something more opinion-based such as: what problems can be solved with technology in the future; the digital divide and ethical access to technology; and/or emerging technologies and moral or ethical concerns. Or many other options! Then, you need to turn that topic idea into a good research question. Step 2 - Interview or a Questionnaire? This is a personal choice. Some people feel more comfortable having a one-to-one conversation (interview), and others feel that privacy (i.e. as in a questionnaire) provides more truthful answers. Review the chart above to decide which method you will utilize. There are a few additional considerations to keep in mind: To whom will you deliver this survey - classmates, family and friends, or others? In what setting? How long will it take? Can you find a quiet space without distractions to complete the task? Step 3 - Creating the Survey Now that you have your research question, the next step is determining how to find the answer from a group of participants. The key is crafting questions that will help you to come to a conclusion. Also consider whether demographic information is important. Should you be asking people to identify their age by providing a list of ranges? Their gender? Are these important to the research question? They may be if you are looking at how teenagers perceive the use of technology in their classrooms, but not so much if you are surveying brand preferences and reasons. For this task, your survey should be comprised of 6-10 questions. Use the checklist below to ensure that you have completed the expectations for writing a survey: Check Criteria I have included 6-10 questions I have included a variety of open-ended, true/false, and numeric questions. I have ensured that the way I am asking the questions is free of bias. I have considered the order of the questions so as not to lead the participants. All of my questions are directly connected to answering the research question. My questions do not ask the participants to reveal any information that can be used to identify them, or any information that may make them feel uncomfortable. This is the dropbox icon. Participant Questions Record your research question and the 6-10 questions that you will ask participants. Be sure to use the checklist above before you submit your work. Also indicate whether you have selected a questionnaire or interview format for your research. After submitting your work, wait for teacher feedback on your work before continuing. Step 4 – Administering the Survey Now that you have a questionnaire or interview that has been approved by your teacher, it is time to put it into action. You will use your survey to gather information from 5-7 participants. For either method, you will need one paper copy of your survey for each person to respond to (on a questionnaire they will be recording their answers, and in an interview you will be recording them). Remember to: Let participants know that participation is voluntary. Give them instructions on how long this will take or how to complete a paper survey. Ensure participants meet any criteria that you have set (i.e. age, owning a cell phone, etc.). Be polite when asking them to complete the survey and when finishing the survey. Ask participants if they have any questions for you regarding the process. Assure your participants that this is survey is for a class assignment and that their responses will not be shared beyond that context. Step 5 - Analysing the Data Data analysis is complicated and, initially, it can be daunting. The goal is to take the information gathered and come to some sort of supported conclusion about the question that you have asked. Ultimately, you want to be able to make a statement and support it with evidence. While all researcher hope to find clear conclusions from their work, sometimes the first round of research doesn't exactly answer the question. Rather, it may help you to refine the question or discover an area of interest that you hadn't previously considered. Don't be discouraged if your first attempt falls into this category.