According to PR Research Methods "Using surveys is the most popular public relations research method for learning more about large audiences or groups of customers. Surveys ask questions to determine the respondents' background, opinions, attitudes and reported behavior." [Dr. LaRae M. Donnellan pg 5]
But where does a survey go wrong?
PR practitioners are quick to attempt a survey to understand how the muddled-middle analyzes different scenarios that practitioners sometimes forget to stop and think, "Are surveyors really telling the truth?" Most of the time it only takes a few minutes to do a survey, and if the people they're trying to target just happen to be in a rush while doing the survey they may select an answer that normally wouldn't be an answer.
Another problem that PR practitioners run into is maybe they are surveying the right people. If this is a "random survey," then practitioners may have a better chance a reaching the right target audience.
Writing Good Survey Questions:
*The easiest type of question to write is a closed-ended question, which are typically your yes or no answers. There aren’t always appropriate.
Survey Questions must be:
- Exclusive, exhaustive, valid, and reliable.
*Nominal lowest level of precision
*Ordinal responses are placed in some type of order such as "Many," "some" and "few."
*Ratio intervals are the most precise.
There are several ways in which one can conduct a survey. As a PR practitioner and expert which is appropriate for the correct gender, age and orientation. As mentioned before surveys are the most effective ways for PR practitioners to reach its target audience, and will continue to be.
Always start with research and end with evaluation.
