Surveys
Structured surveys administered to large numbers of people are the bedrock of quantitative research. The findings from a survey of a representative sample of a particular group are indicative of that group as a whole. Groups can range from the narrowly defined, such as professors of chemistry in UK universities, to the very broad, for example the population of the UK as a whole. The basic principles of a representative sample are that each member of the group of interest has an equal opportunity to take part. For some small and tightly defined groups it may be possible to include everyone.
PSP has the specialist software to design, field and analyse large-scale web-based surveys in-house. Internet surveys allow us full control over the research process and enable us to add value at every stage.
Where other forms of large-scale data collection are required because of the nature of the audience or the subject matter, PSP may subcontract the data collection and processing but the design is always done in-house. We use SPSS for analysis.
Some examples of our work that has included surveys are:
- Public Attitudes to Science 2008: Research Councils UK and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (conducted in partnership with TNS)
- An Assessment of the Chemistry-Biology Interface in the UK
- Factors Affecting Science Communication: A survey of scientists and engineers
- Public Perceptions of Physics: Institute Of Physics
- Evaluation of Engineering a Better World
- Evaluation of “Mind the Gap” for the Y-Touring Theatre Company