[Durham INC] Fw: Duke students seek survey respondents (please distribute this link)

[Shelly Green]

You are correct.  In order for the results of the survey to be deemed as "generalizable" to the entire community (or to a certain segment) the survey respondents must be selected randomly.  

A self-selected survey still has its uses, however, because it gives researchers an overall idea how a portion of the population feels about something.  It's especially helpful to use when you are testing the wording of certain questions to find out what resonates with the respondents, or to identify additional questions that should be asked.  

-----Original Message-----
From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org] On Behalf Of bragin at nc.rr.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 10:56 AM
To: Melissa Rooney; durhamenviro at yahoogroups.com; inc-list at rtpnet.org
Subject: Re: [Durham INC] Fw: Duke students seek survey respondents (please distribute this link)

I filled out a survey response, but doesn't the non-randomness of having self-selected respondents reduce the validity of any conclusions that might be made from the data collected?

Barry Ragin

---- Melissa Rooney <mmr121570 at yahoo.com> wrote: 

=============
See below. Thanks! 
Melissa (Rooney)



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Chinling Chen <tchi412 at gmail.com>
To: cc236 at duke.edu
Cc: Brittany Merola <rose.merola at duke.edu>; Ji Hyung Joo <jihyung.joo at duke.edu>; 
Laura Cloak <laura.cloak at duke.edu>; Michelle LaRocco 
<michelle.larocco at gmail.com>
Sent: Tue, November 9, 2010 11:06:39 PM
Subject: Duke students seek survey respondents (please distribute this link)


Hi, 
A group of Masters Students at Duke University are conducting a survey seeking 
responses from Durham residents. Your contact information was found from a 
directory online posted by the Department of Planning in the City of Durham. 

 
We are seeking help from you. 
Your help to distribute this survey link to your contacts (i.e. list-serve, 
customers contact list or residents e-mailing list) at your earliest convenience 
is greatly appreciated. 


If you live in the triangle area, you are welcome to fill out the survey 
yourself as well.

 
The topic of the survey is public perception of water conservation. This survey 
will take approximately 10 minutes. 

 
For questions, please contact Chinling Chen at cc236 at duke.edu. 
 
Survey link : http://dukessri.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8et3VQThtHI0OMY
 
Thank you.
 
Chinling Chen, Laura Cloak, Ruth Joo, Michelle LaRocco, and Brittany Merola  


      
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