Survey Design and Implementation

Surveys are one of the most important sources of data for political scientists. With the rise of field experiments, the design and implementation of surveys has become and even more critical component of a political scientist's tool kit. This course provides an overview of the tools needed to design and implement survey research and will also cover the fundamentals of survey and field experiments. In addition, this course will expose students to canonical and cutting-edge applications of survey research in the study of political behavior and public opinion. This course aims to interweave the methodological and the practical, preparing students to implement their own survey-based research projects while also engaging with the core political science research questions answered through survey research. The course will cover methodological issues such sources of bias, measurement theory and questionnaire design, sampling and non-response, and modes of data collection alongside practical issues such as field research and in-person data collection challenges, web-based data collection challenges, interviewer hiring, and data quality control measures. Over the quarter, students will develop a research design using survey research methods, including designing their own survey questionnaire and implementation plan. Students can expect to leave this course with not only a broad understanding of survey methodology but also a set of tools to deal with the practical implementation of surveys in the field.