The concept of survey research is defined as the research that focuses upon those surveys that are performed on the basis of advanced scientific knowledge.
Survey research basically provides knowledge about quantitative description of a few aspects of study.
The analysis that is carried out by the process of survey research is entirely concerned, either with the association between the variables, or with the findings of the project in a descriptive manner. The concept of survey research is that it is basically a kind of quantitative method that needs standardized kinds of information about the subjects under study. The subjects whom are being studied in survey research generally include individuals, groups, organizations or communities.
The second characteristic of survey research involves the extraction of knowledge by questioning structured and predefined questions by the people participating in the study. The responses that are given by the respondents in survey research consist of the data that is being analyzed.
The third characteristic of survey research is generally extracted by considering only a fraction of the study population. For example, this is done with service or manufacturing organizations, etc. Generally, the sample in survey research is quiet large and can allow the researcher to perform extensive statistical analyses.
The nature of survey research can be easily and comfortably understood by comparing two methods, namely case study methods and laboratory experiments.
Case studies in survey research refer to the examination of the phenomenon in its natural setting. In survey research, the researcher cannot control the occurrence of that particular phenomenon. But the researcher can definitely control the scope and the time of the examination. The researcher in survey research might or might not have already defined independent variables and dependent variables.
In case studies, which are important for the researcher in survey research, mainly involve the relationship between the context and the phenomenon of interest. In survey research, the researcher conducts the manipulation of the independent variables and then observes their corresponding effects on the dependent variables.
Laboratory experiments in survey research are the ones that are well matched with the research projects, and that involve comparatively limited and well defined strategies and propositions. These experiments in survey research involve few individuals, or a small group of people.
The researcher in survey research has direct control over laboratory conditions and manipulation of the independent variables.
The process of survey research is applicable when the researcher is primarily interested in knowing about the event, in knowing the reason behind the manner the event has occurred, and in knowing the reason behind the occurrence of an event. The process of survey research is quite useful in answering many types of questions. In fact, survey research is carried out to answer many types of questions.
The process of survey research is also applicable and useful in cases where the control of the independent and dependent variables is not possible and is not desirable. The process of survey research is also applicable in cases where the phenomenon of interest on which the survey research is carried out has occurred in the present time or in the recent past. The process of survey research is applicable in cases where the phenomenon of interest should be in its natural settings.
The inappropriateness of the survey research must also be kept in mind. Survey research is inappropriate in cases when detailed understanding of the context and history of the given computing phenomena is desired.
