ABSTRACT
There is a logical sequence to conducting a social survey. Once the basic decision to collect data by survey has been taken, focus moves to the mechanics of putting that decision into action. The core issue is the way the questionnaire is to be administered. Interviewing has some obvious advantages. The interviewer can encourage the potential respondent to participate, can keep her or his attention and can interpret complex instructions. The questionnaire can be administered by an interviewer either face to face or over the telephone. An interviewer calling at a house can choose a particular household member and collect observational data if required. A self-completion questionnaire can either be sent through the post or delivered directly. There is no possibility of interviewer bias but there are some disadvantages. An example of a hand-delivered questionnaire arises in surveys of school children, where a questionnaire is handed out to a group or class who complete it then and there.
