Show 40 Research Supplement: Online Sampling

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Published Date

Main Topic: Using Online Sampling Details

Hosts: James Stanworth, Clyde Warden

This show started out as the last in our Chinese medicine series, but James and Clyde got off track and into the details of online survey design. Rather than stick it in with TCM, we put it out as its own show and plan to do more in the future on this very complicated topic.

This show is an extension of the TCM series. In Show 39 Clyde covers the TCM research project and includes slides and draft research paper.

Survey Participation Gift

Online survey design is popular mainly because it is easy. Clyde is very down, however, on the numerous free online tools many students use these days. Not only is the survey design often questionable, he questions how one can possibly trust the respondents are being anything near the sample frame population! Clyde has been doing online survey work since the mid 90s, programming his own code, ASP, PHP, and Java. Running his own servers help, but the key point is to be able to design a survey that exactly matches the needs of the research. Randomization is a key point often overlooked by simple online tools, as well as the all important ability to ask questions that test the appropriateness of the respondents, and then adjust the survey to fit the situation. This adaptive capability requires custom programming.

If you don't understand the details of computers, how can you expect to do a good job designing an online survey--Get Real!

You still need to go wth variables that make sense to a Western audience, otherwise your chance of getting published is very diminished.

The Show:

Length: 54 minutes. Download MP3 25.51MB (Right click->Save As).

Examples of Previous Online Surveys:

View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://ccc.qbook.tv/index.php/research-mainmenu-71/research-shows-mainmenu-70/138-online-sampling#sigProGalleria3c03460204

Show Links:

Bottom Line:

You may totally miss local behaviors and values because you just don't know them and no one will tell you.
Without solid grounding, you cannot get a clear sample frame.
The big challenge is finding survey questions that fit your current topic.
Survey design is very difficult across languages.
Cultural differences make many survey questions simply meaningless.
Survey development must be linked to continuous grounding.
In this TCM study, we found that existing lit. covered the variables we saw locally.
The online survey sites are nothing more than paper online.
Survey respondents tend to use their work Web connection--peak time is during work hours.

Examples Sent In By Listener:

After hearing Show 37, one of our listeners in Singapore sent this photo and story in to TAM.

A listener's TCM experience

I had come across your recent show on TCM. Like to share my experience with you. Recently, I have been visiting TCM as I injured my ankle about two months ago. However, this TCM is a very unique one as he is not exactly a certified Chinese physician.

His 'medical hall' is HIS OWN HOUSE, he creates his own medicine and he has this powerful and strange machine to do the work. (I had attached two pictures of the wires going around my ankle) I heard that he even cure his own diabetes! However, he is a strong believer of his religion (not sure whether its Taoism or Buddhism). I'm not sure whether his religion has something to do with his ability to cure his patients.

I personally feel that there might be a little link between the two factors as my friend's God-father has similar background with this guy i know. And he cured his own diebetes and spend long hours in the Temple as well! (not to worry, i had confirmed that they are two seperate individuals)

That's all i have to share.

Regards,

Category: Research Supplement Shows