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Title:  Survey methods for educators: Selecting samples and administering surveys (part 2 of 3)
Description: Educators at the state and local levels are increasingly using data to inform policy decisions. While student achievement data is often used to inform instructional or programmatic decisions, educators may also need additional sources of data, some of which may not be housed in their existing data systems. Creating and administering surveys is one way to collect such data. However, documentation available to educators about administering surveys may provide insufficient guidance about sampling or analysis approaches. Furthermore, some educators may not have training or experience in survey methods. In response to this need, REL Northeast & Islands created a series of three complementary guides that provide an overview of the survey research process designed for educators. The guides describe (1) survey development, (2) sampling respondents and survey administration, and (3) analysis and reporting of survey data.

Part two of this series, "Sampling Respondents and Survey Administration," outlines the following steps, drawn from the research literature:

1. Define the population
2. Specify the sampling procedure
3. Determine the sample size
4. Select the sample
5. Administer the survey
The guide provides detailed, real-world examples of how these steps have been used in a REL research alliance project. With this guide, educators will be able to develop their own sampling and survey administration plans.
Online Availability:
Cover Date: August 2016
Web Release: August 2, 2016
Print Release:
Publication #: REL 2016160
General Ordering Information
Center/Program: REL
Associated Centers: NCEE
Authors:
Type of Product: Applied Research Methods
Keywords:
Questions: For questions about the content of this Applied Research Methods, please contact:
Amy Johnson.