EPID 626 Survey Methodology

Assignment 4: Designing a survey instrument

Part 1:

Design a study and create a survey instrument

Choose a research question and then outline an appropriate survey study design. The description should answer the following questions:

  1. What is the research question?
  2. What are the study objectives? (primary and secondary)
  3. What study design will you use (cross-sectional, case-control, etc)?
  4. Why did you choose this study design (advantages and disadvantages)?
  5. What is the target population?
  6. What is the survey population?; How will you get the survey population?
  7. What is the sampling strategy? (for example, quota, multistage, simple random etc; be very detailed)
  8. Why did you choose this sampling strategy (advantages and disadvantages)?
  9. What variables will you use to evaluate your study objectives?
  10. What other variables will you measure? (for example, as potential confounders, or to identify subgroups); How will you measure them?

This description should read like the methods description of a publication (approximately 4 to 6 pages in length). You do not need to calculate sample size for this exercise.

Design and format a 15-question survey instrument.

****Bring 2 copies of Part 1 to class on March 29****

Part 2:

Review and critique of survey instrument

You will be given another person’s Part 1 assignment. You will review and critique the study description and the survey instrument. You will evaluate the study description with regard to the criteria given above. You will critique the survey instrument with regard to elements of questionnaire design discussed in class and in the class reading.

****Bring 2 copies of Part 2 to class on April 5****

Part 3:

Revision of survey instrument

You will get your reviewed and critiqued survey instrument back to make the appropriate revisions.

****Bring 2 copies of Part 3 to class on April 12****

Note: You may come to office hours in 2002 (20th floor, Epidemiology Dept) between 12-1pm on Mondays if you have questions or need guidance. You should bring appropriate materials with you.

**Late assignments will not be accepted. Please adhere to the honor code; do your own work**