Sense and Nonsense about Surveys by Howard Schuman

This article shows us how a survey should be studied, the characteristics and how and why it is important and beneficial.

According to Howard, surveys draw on two human propensities that have served us well from ancient times. One is to gather information by asking questions. The other is to learn about one’s environments by explaining a small part of it which is the basis of sampling.

Howard talks about the history of survey and the right and wrong way to collect data. But what is a survey? According to the book “Intro to Sociology” a survey is a study, generally in the form of an interview or questionnaire that provides researchers with information about how people think and act. Also the survey is an example of quantitative research, which collects and reports data primarily in numerical form.

Surveys involve two districts steps: One is to choose the right information by generating questions, which is an effective way of acquiring more information and greater understanding of all kinds and assuming that a person answers accurately. The other is inclination which is an examination of a small part of the population.  When it is a population sampling, the data or facts should be representative of the entire society and the sample should have sufficient size to guarantee statistical analysis.

Surveys need to follow some steps as mentioned before. It can be from a specific group (sample) or a group as a whole (population), and it has to be analyzed correctly to get a good picture of what society needs or wants. In other words, a good survey needs to be worded by questions to clarify any doubts to determine any conclusion.