scholarly journals Suspicious and fraudulent online survey participation: Introducing the REAL framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 205979912110504
Author(s):  
Jennifer Lawlor ◽  
Carl Thomas ◽  
Andrew T Guhin ◽  
Kendra Kenyon ◽  
Matthew D Lerner ◽  
...  

Online survey research has significantly increased in popularity in recent years. With its use, researchers have a new set of concerns about data collection and analysis to consider, including the possibility of fraudulent survey submissions. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate to survey researchers an innovative and systematized process for addressing online survey fraud over the course of collecting survey data, especially when respondents collect incentives for participation. We provide the Reflect, Expect, Analyze, Label Framework, which includes four sets of guiding questions for use by online survey researchers to plan for addressing survey fraud and making determinations about the inclusion or exclusion of participant submissions from the dataset based on level of suspicion. We also provide a full case example utilizing the Reflect, Expect, Analyze, Label Framework as an appendix. Those wanting to apply the Reflect, Expect, Analyze, Label Framework should keep in mind several considerations as they apply it, including determining logistical needs ahead of survey implementation, considering the ethical issues related to including or excluding data in a study, and considering the issues related to providing incentives for participating in research. Future research should assess the frequency of survey fraud, investigate the reasons for its occurrence and explore the role social networks may play in fraudulent participants sharing information. We suggest that researchers consider online survey fraud as an issue over the lifespan of their survey and apply the guiding questions we present to address the issue throughout.

Author(s):  
David Knoke

This chapter explains how international terror networks, consisting of individuals and organizations spanning countries and continents, form and evolve. It describes tools and methods used by social network analysts to study such networks; their applications by counterterrorist organizations; their limitations and problems in data collection and analysis; and directions for future research. It also discusses a few recent case studies by prominent researchers.


10.28945/3940 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 001-020
Author(s):  
Abdoulaye Kaba ◽  
Chennupati K. Ramaiah

Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the issue of knowledge acquisition among faculty members. Background: The paper reports the use of knowledge acquisition tools and reading knowledge sources by faculty members. It also identifies demographic differ-ences among participants in using knowledge acquisition tools and reading knowledge sources. Methodology: The study used an online survey-based questionnaire tool for data collection. The participants consisted of 300 faculty members from 26 academic institu-tions in UAE. Statistical tests are used to verify and validate the hypotheses. Contribution: The paper represents one of the few empirical studies conducted on knowledge acquisition among faculty members in the GCC countries. Find-ings of the study may contribute to the theoretical and practical understanding of knowledge acquisition among faculty members. Findings: Findings of the study revealed that medical faculty members read knowledge acquisition sources more than other faculty members. Likewise, IT faculty members use knowledge acquisition tools more than other faculty members. Results of the study supported stage three of knowledge acquisition proposed in the “Stage Theory of Knowledge Consumption Growth” (Mathew, 1985). The study found that journals are the most sources read by the participants while web-based training (WBT) tools are the most used knowledge acquisition tools among faculty members. Results of the study indicated significant differ-ences among faculty members of different age groups, academic ranks, aca-demic specializations, and institutional affiliation in reading knowledge sources. Likewise, findings of the study revealed significant difference among partici-pants of different academic specializations in using knowledge acquisition tools. Recommendations for Practitioners: Results of the study could be extrapolated to other faculty members in the GCC countries. Recommendation for Researchers: More researches could be done to address different issues of knowledge acquisition among faculty members. Impact on Society: Faculty reading of knowledge sources and use of knowledge acquisition tools may have direct or indirect positive impacts on innovation, creativity, and re-search productivity in any society. Future Research: It will be interesting to apply more than one data collection method in the future research.


Author(s):  
Peter J. Allen ◽  
Lynne D. Roberts

The increasing level of Internet penetration over the last decade has made web surveying a viable option for data collection in academic research. Software tools and services have been developed to facilitate the development and deployment of web surveys. Many academics and research students are outsourcing the design and/or hosting of their web surveys to external service providers, yet ethical issues associated with this use have received limited attention in academic literature. In this article, the authors focus on specific ethical concerns associated with the outsourcing of web surveys with particular reference to external commercial web survey service providers. These include threats to confidentiality and anonymity, the potential for loss of control over decisions about research data, and the reduced credibility of research. Suggested guidelines for academic institutions and researchers in relation to outsourcing aspects of web-based survey research are provided.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 185
Author(s):  
Mônica Wendhausen ◽  
Sônia Maria Martins de Melo ◽  
Rui Marques Vieira

A pesquisa fenomenológica numa investigação qualitativa é peculiar por trazer ao campo epistemológico a lógica da compreensão do fenômeno em si por meio de num exercício exaustivo de redução, na busca da essência do fenômeno no momento em que ele acontece. O desafio neste estudo ainda vai mais além: realizar as reduções por meio das primeiras recolhas e análises de dados de postagens realizadas em dois grupos criados no Facebook, de duas Turmas de escolares participantes de um Projeto Educativo intitulado Projeto Aprender a Conhecer: Pesquisar de Corpo Inteiro (PAC), que ocorre numa Escola Pública Brasileira, objeto desta investigação. Diante disso, este artigo apresenta um pequeno extrato de um doutoramento em curso. Os resultados apontaram que uma análise fenomenológica de documentos virtuais requer um olhar bastante criterioso, bem como a necessidade da utilização de um enxerto-hermenêutico, que no nosso ponto de vista, permitiu emergir as primeiras tendências da análise. Enfim, as asserções desvelaram a categoria participação como um dos elementos que poderá levar todos os envolvidos no projeto a aprender juntos, mas também, as contradições em relação ao entendimento e compreensão do tipo de participação dos estudantes no projeto, que ora parece tutelada/ restrita, ora parece plena/ativa. Tal tendência parece-nos essencial para a compreensão do PAC e sua influência na construção de num novo espaço/tempo de fazer escola.Palavras-chave: Pesquisa qualitativa. Método fenomenológico. Redes sociais. Projeto educativo. Recolha e análise de dados. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS IN A PHENOMENOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE: registration of social networks as a documentary corpus in an investigation in educationAbstractA Phenomenological research in a qualitative investigation is peculiar to bring to the epistemological field the logic of the understanding of the phenomenon in itself through an exhaustive exercise of reduction, in search of the essence of the phenomenon at the moment in which it happens. The challenge in this study goes even further: to carry out the reductions through the first collection and analysis of data from postings made in two groups created on Facebook, from two classes of schoolchildren participating in the Educational Project “Learning to Know: research with Whole Body”, which occurs in a Brazilian Public School, object of this study. Therefore, this article presents a small extract of an ongoing PhD. The results point out that a phenomenological analysis of virtual documents requires a very critical observation as well as the need to use a hermeneutic-graft, which in our view allowed us to emerge the first trends of analysis. Finally, the assertions revealed the participation category as one of the elements that could lead all involved in the project to learn together, but also, the contradictions regarding the understanding and comprehension of the type of students' participation in the project, which sometimes seems to be supervised / restricted , sometimes seems full / active. Such a trend seems to us essential for the understanding of the PAC and its influence on the construction of a new space / time to do school.          Keywords: Qualitative Research. Phenomenological Method. Social Networks. Educational Project. Data Collection And Analysis. RECOGIDA Y ANÁLISIS DE DATOS DESDE UNA PERSPECTIVA FENOMENOLÓGICA: registros de las redes sociales como corpus documental en una investigación en educaciónResumenLa investigación fenomenológica en una investigación cualitativa es peculiar por traer al campo epistemológico la lógica de la comprensión del fenómeno en sí, por medio de un ejercicio exhaustivo de reducción, en la búsqueda de la esencia del fenómeno en el momento en que sucede. El desafío en este estudio va aún más allá: realizar las reducciones por medio de las primeras recogidas y análisis de datos de publicaciones realizadas en dos grupos creados en Facebook, de dos clases de escolares participantes en un proyecto educativo titulado: “Proyecto Aprender a Conocer: Investigar de Cuerpo Entero (PAC)”, que se desarrolla en una Escuela Pública Brasileña, objeto de esta investigación. Por lo que este artículo presenta un pequeño extracto de un doctorado en curso. Los resultados apuntan a que un análisis fenomenológico de documentos virtuales requiere una mirada bastante cuidadosa, así como, se refiere la necesidad de la utilización de un injerto-hermenéutico, que desde nuestro punto de vista, permitió emerger las primeras tendencias del análisis. Finalmente, los hallazgos revelaron la categoría participación como uno de los elementos que podría llevar a todos los involucrados en el proyecto, a aprender juntos, pero también, se desvelaron las contradicciones en relación al entendimiento y a la comprensión del tipo de participación de los estudiantes en el proyecto, que ahora parece estar supervisada / restringida, y completa / activa. Dicha tendencia nos parece esencial para la comprensión del PAC y su influencia en la construcción de un nuevo espacio / tiempo para hacer escuela.Palabras clave: Investigación cualitativa. Método fenomenológico. Redes sociales. Proyecto Educativo. Recogida y análisis de datos.


Author(s):  
James M. Perren

The chapter reports on a study examining learning stations designed by English as a second language students in order to improve pronunciation. This on-going Design-Based Research study focuses on promoting, sustaining, and understanding an educational innovation (Bell, 2004). The longitudinal study identifies favorable and unfavorable aspects of learner-designed pronunciation station teaching. Results extend previous iterations of data collection and analysis of student assignments with reference to technology resources and online survey results as part of strategic (re)designing of the activity. This pedagogy fosters student responsibility for learning and utilizing learning opportunities they create. Discussion is provided about how poststructural theory corresponds with design-based research as data collection and analysis methodology to illuminate discourses of autonomy as agency, motivation and investment, and resistance. Design-based research frames the postmodern and action oriented design based research goals of “examining the assumptions underlying contemporary educational programs and practices” (Reeves, McKenney, & Herrington, 2011, pp. 60-61).


Author(s):  
Kristina M. Kays ◽  
Tashina L. Keith ◽  
Michael T. Broughal

This chapter addresses the main considerations in online survey research with sensitive topics. Advances in technology have allowed numerous options in addressing survey design, and thus created a need to evaluate and consider best approaches when using online survey research. This chapter identifies subjects such as item non-response in online survey research. In addition, this chapter includes a description of the differences in researching non-sensitive topics versus sensitive topics, and then lists a number of best practice strategies to reduce item non-response and improve the quality of survey data obtained. Included are specific considerations for defining sensitive topics and addressing gender differences when surveying more sensitive material. Additional resources in online survey research design are recommended.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6085
Author(s):  
Bence Ságvári ◽  
Attila Gulyás ◽  
Júlia Koltai

In this paper, we present the results of an exploratory study conducted in Hungary using a factorial design-based online survey to explore the willingness to participate in a future research project based on active and passive data collection via smartphones. Recently, the improvement of smart devices has enabled the collection of behavioural data on a previously unimaginable scale. However, the willingness to share this data is a key issue for the social sciences and often proves to be the biggest obstacle to conducting research. In this paper we use vignettes to test different (hypothetical) study settings that involve sensor data collection but differ in the organizer of the research, the purpose of the study and the type of collected data, the duration of data sharing, the number of incentives and the ability to suspend and review the collection of data. Besides the demographic profile of respondents, we also include behavioural and attitudinal variables to the models. Our results show that the content and context of the data collection significantly changes people’s willingness to participate, however their basic demographic characteristics (apart from age) and general level of trust seem to have no significant effect. This study is a first step in a larger project that involves the development of a complex smartphone-based research tool for hybrid (active and passive) data collection. The results presented in this paper help improve our experimental design to encourage participation by minimizing data sharing concerns and maximizing user participation and motivation.


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