Introduction to Polling and Survey Methods

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lonna Rae Atkeson ◽  
R. Michael Alvarez
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
High Quality

Polling and survey methods is an interdisciplinary activity and includes actors in all areas of society, including academia, government, and the private sector. Designing, implementing, and analyzing high-quality, accurate, and cost-effective polls and surveys requires a combination of skills and methodological perspectives. Despite the well-publicized issues that have cropped up in recent political polling, a great deal is known today about how to collect high-quality polling and survey data even in complex and difficult environments. Quality surveys and good survey data are important because social scientists are only as good as the data produced. Therefore, it is critical to follow best practices and guidelines and help researchers assess a variety of factors to make good choices when collecting and analyzing data. Equally important is transmitting those results to others in a clear and accessible manner.

scholarly journals Maintaining rigorous standards while collecting online social survey data for conservation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloe Wardropper ◽  
Ashley A. Dayer ◽  
Madeline S. Goebel ◽  
Victoria Y. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
National Study ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Social Survey

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is impacting the environment and conservation research in fundamental ways. For conservation social scientists, the pandemic has necessitated swift changes to research methods, including shifting away from in-person data collection. Social survey data are key to integrating perspectives and knowledge from a variety of social actors in order to more effectively manage and conserve ecosystems. In-person survey methods have long been considered an indispensable approach for reaching certain populations (e.g., low-income), those without an available sampling frame (e.g., birders), or those defined by place (e.g., park visitors). However, these methods became infeasible for many researchers during the pandemic, as they may during other times of social upheaval. Additionally, response rates across multiple survey modes have been steadily declining over decades, requiring that researchers consider new approaches. Conservation social scientists are now turning to online surveys at a rapid rate, but they must do so while ensuring rigor in this data collection mode. Further, they must address a suite of unique challenges, such as the increasing use of mobile devices by participants and avoiding bots or other survey fraud. This paper charts a course for high-quality online survey research for conservation social scientists through review of recent literature and our own experiences as survey researchers. We provide direction for scientists moving their surveys online, with examples from a recent national study of people who feed wild birds, in which an online survey was implemented through a survey panel and a sample generated via a project participant list. We also make recommendations for research funders, journal editors, and policymakers using survey-based science, who can all play a role in assuring that high-quality survey data are used to inform effective conservation programs and policies.

scholarly journals Learning to count: adapting population monitoring for Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to meet conservation objectives

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko Wittmer ◽  
P Corti ◽  
C Saucedo ◽  
J Galaz
Keyword(s):  
Survey Data ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Population Trends ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Monitoring Method ◽  
Hippocamelus Bisulcus ◽  
Detection Probabilities ◽  
Current Survey

Considerable efforts have been invested in recent years to improve methods for both data collection and analyses required for population monitoring. Where historical or current estimates of population size are not adjusted for detection probabilities they may be too inaccurate to provide meaningful estimates of trends and thus monitoring methods need to be adapted. Here, we use data from the Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to outline a framework to develop accurate robust estimates of detection probabilities that can be incorporated into new surveys in a cost-effective way and applied to existing survey data sets. In particular, by retroactively estimating detection probabilities for surveys of huemul, we show that current survey methods for huemul are inadequate to determine population trends reliably. Based on these results we propose a new monitoring method for the huemul and discuss the importance of estimating accuracies of historical survey data to ensure that changes in the abundance of the species reflect real population trends and are not an artefact of variation over time in the accuracy of survey data. © 2010 Fauna & Flora International.

scholarly journals Best Practices in 3-D Land Seismic Acquisition in the Middle East and North Africa: Cost-Effective Acquisition in a Low Oil Price Environment

GeoArabia ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-196
Author(s):  
Neil McMahon ◽  
Kees Ruitenbeek ◽  
Jan Wams ◽  
Steve Slawson
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Strategy Execution ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Acquisition Process ◽  
Cost Effective Method ◽  
Seismic Acquisition ◽  
Acquisition Costs ◽  
Petroleum Development

ABSTRACT Increasing expenditure in 3-D land seismic acquisition has driven the need to define Best Practices and improvement areas in the acquisition process. Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and Arthur D. Little Management Consultants undertook a study to identify these Best Practices in the Middle East and North African regions by interviewing 34 companies and compiling data from 51 recent vibroseis surveys. Acquisition costs and duration from surveys over similar terrains, but with varying geometries, were compared on an equal basis to determine the most cost-effective method for acquiring high-quality (i.e. data density) 3-D data. High-quality surveys acquired using a Zig Zag geometry had lower costs than those acquired using conventional geometries over gravel plain terrain. However, there was no clear best geometry for other terrains. Acquisition performance was also improved by adopting a number of Best Practices covering the design, planning, contracting strategy, execution, processing and post-acquisition elements of the seismic acquisition process.

scholarly journals Learning to count: adapting population monitoring for Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to meet conservation objectives

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko Wittmer ◽  
P Corti ◽  
C Saucedo ◽  
J Galaz
Keyword(s):  
Survey Data ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Population Trends ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Monitoring Method ◽  
Hippocamelus Bisulcus ◽  
Detection Probabilities ◽  
Current Survey

Considerable efforts have been invested in recent years to improve methods for both data collection and analyses required for population monitoring. Where historical or current estimates of population size are not adjusted for detection probabilities they may be too inaccurate to provide meaningful estimates of trends and thus monitoring methods need to be adapted. Here, we use data from the Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to outline a framework to develop accurate robust estimates of detection probabilities that can be incorporated into new surveys in a cost-effective way and applied to existing survey data sets. In particular, by retroactively estimating detection probabilities for surveys of huemul, we show that current survey methods for huemul are inadequate to determine population trends reliably. Based on these results we propose a new monitoring method for the huemul and discuss the importance of estimating accuracies of historical survey data to ensure that changes in the abundance of the species reflect real population trends and are not an artefact of variation over time in the accuracy of survey data. © 2010 Fauna & Flora International.

scholarly journals Learning to count: adapting population monitoring for Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to meet conservation objectives

Oryx ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 516-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko U. Wittmer ◽  
Paulo Corti ◽  
Cristián Saucedo ◽  
José Luis Galaz
Keyword(s):  
Survey Data ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Population Trends ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Monitoring Method ◽  
Hippocamelus Bisulcus ◽  
Detection Probabilities ◽  
Current Survey

AbstractConsiderable efforts have been invested in recent years to improve methods for both data collection and analyses required for population monitoring. Where historical or current estimates of population size are not adjusted for detection probabilities they may be too inaccurate to provide meaningful estimates of trends and thus monitoring methods need to be adapted. Here, we use data from the Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to outline a framework to develop accurate robust estimates of detection probabilities that can be incorporated into new surveys in a cost-effective way and applied to existing survey data sets. In particular, by retroactively estimating detection probabilities for surveys of huemul, we show that current survey methods for huemul are inadequate to determine population trends reliably. Based on these results we propose a new monitoring method for the huemul and discuss the importance of estimating accuracies of historical survey data to ensure that changes in the abundance of the species reflect real population trends and are not an artefact of variation over time in the accuracy of survey data.

Improving Data Quality in Face-to-Face Survey Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-50
Author(s):  
Carolyn Logan ◽  
Pablo Parás ◽  
Michael Robbins ◽  
Elizabeth J. Zechmeister
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Data Quality ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Survey Research ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Political Behavior ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The World

ABSTRACTData quality in survey research remains a paramount concern for those studying mass political behavior. Because surveys are conducted in increasingly diverse contexts around the world, ensuring that best practices are followed becomes ever more important to the field of political science. Bringing together insights from surveys conducted in more than 80 countries worldwide, this article highlights common challenges faced in survey research and outlines steps that researchers can take to improve the quality of survey data. Importantly, the article demonstrates that with the investment of the necessary time and resources, it is possible to carry out high-quality survey research even in challenging environments in which survey research is not well established.

Financing Child Care: Public- and Private-Sector Approaches

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
pp. 1093-1096
Author(s):  
Caroline Eichman
Keyword(s):  
Child Care ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Child Care Providers ◽  
Quality Service ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Business Decision

Finding high-quality, affordable child care is of paramount concern for millions of American families. Child-care providers, concerned about the high costs associated with providing a quality service, are unable to access, through the traditional market mechanisms, the funding they need to support their start-up and operating costs. For providers to offer a high quality service—to hire trained professional staff, maintain group sizes and staff-to-child ratios at NAEYC-recommended standards, provide a curriculum that early childhood professionals view as developmentally appropriate, and provide a healthy and safe environment for children—additional resources are needed. By properly targeting their resources, states can be an important catalyst for private sector initiatives. By designing programs that leverage taxpayer dollars with private investment, states can create new cost-effective approaches. Groups within the private sector such as employers, real-estate developers, lending institutions, and community development corporations are finding that investing in child care can be a good business decision.

The Formability and Elongation of Aluminum Alloys AA5083 and AA3003 for Micro-Truss Sandwiches Manufacturing

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (9A) ◽  
pp. 1396-1405
Author(s):  
Arwa F. Tawfeeq ◽  
Matthew R. Barnett
Keyword(s):  
Aluminum Alloy ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Truss Structures ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Clad Layer ◽  
Higher Temperature ◽  
Different Shapes

The development in the manufacturing of micro-truss structures has demonstrated the effectiveness of brazing for assembling these sandwiches, which opens new opportunities for cost-effective and high-quality truss manufacturing. An evolving idea in micro-truss manufacturing is the possibility of forming these structures in different shapes with the aid of elevated temperature. This work investigates the formability and elongation of aluminum alloy sheets typically used for micro-truss manufacturing, namely AA5083 and AA3003. Tensile tests were performed at a temperature in the range of 25-500 ○C and strain rate in the range of 2x10-4 -10-2 s-1. The results showed that the clad layer in AA3003 exhibited an insignificant effect on the formability and elongation of AA3003. The formability of the two alloys was improved significantly with values of m as high as 0.4 and 0.13 for AA5083 and AA3003 at 500 °C. While the elongation of both AA5083 and AA3003 was improved at a higher temperature, the elongation of AA5083 was inversely related to strain rate. It was concluded that the higher the temperature is the better the formability and elongation of the two alloys but at the expense of work hardening. This suggests a trade-off situation between formability and strength. 

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