Description of the Unit

This Unit teaches students the process used to plan, conduct, and report the results of survey interviews.  This unit is particularly appropriate for teaching students skills in research methods used in the field.  This unit is designed to teach students to:

1) determine the purpose and conduct preliminary research for the interview
2) structure the survey interview
3) develop or select questions and/or scales for the interview
4) select a sample of interviewees
5) conduct the interview
6) analyze results.

Relevant Chapter

Chapter 6: The Survey Interview

Potential Activities

• Perhaps the most effective activity for this unit is to have students plan and conduct a survey interview.  This assignment can be done individually or in groups and can culminate in a written or oral report (or both).  Students should interview/survey an appropriate number of people for the purpose of the project and should develop a comprehensive interview guide to be approved by the instructor prior to conducting the interviews. 

• As a class, volunteer to conduct a survey interview for a community or campus not-for-profit organization.  This project can take the form of a service-learning activity which would culminate in the class preparing a repot for the organization.  Depending on the organization and goal of the project, this may not be appropriate for larger classes.

• Have students find a popular press report over a survey (e.g., Gallup Poll, Political Poll, etc.).  Each student should write a summary and evaluation of the survey and report.  In the evaluation, students should critique the methodology used in the survey.

• For more advanced communication students, have them critique an original research report from a communication journal.  In their critique they can analyze the survey/interview procedures used, as well as the overall clarity of the report.

Daily Lesson Plan