Survey methods for educators: Collaborative survey development (part 1 of 3)

Title:	Survey methods for educators: Collaborative survey development (part 1 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 the survey development process. 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 one of this series, "Collaborative Survey Development," outlines the following steps, drawn from the research literature: 1. Identify topics of interest 2. Identify relevant, existing survey items 3. Draft new survey items and adapt existing survey items 4. Review draft survey items with stakeholders and content experts 5. Refine the draft survey using cognitive interviewing The guide provides detailed, real-world examples of how these steps have been used in REL research alliance projects. With this guide, educators will be able to develop their own surveys in collaboration with other practitioners, researchers, and content experts.
Online Availability:	Download, view and print the report as a pdf file. (383KB)
Cover Date:	August 2016
Web Release:	August 2, 2016
Print Release:	August 2, 2016
Publication #:	REL 2016163 General Ordering Information
Center/Program:	REL
Associated Centers:	NCEE
Authors:	Clare W. Irwin Erin T. Stafford Education Development Center, Inc.
Type of Product:	Applied Research Methods
Keywords:	Achievement • academic achievement Achievement (Student) States
Questions:	For questions about the content of this Applied Research Methods, please contact: Amy Johnson.