The Center for Association Resources Lists Top 5 Myths of Survey Research

Aug. 11, 2009 - PRLog -- Schaumburg, IL -- The Center for Association Resources, a consulting firm for the non-profit industry, has recently announced its list of top 5 myths of survey research. As an organization that specializes in conducting surveys, The Center for Association Research is offering tips to assist those interested in traditional membership surveys, online surveys, focus groups and individual interviews.

“There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to conducting this kind of research,” said Robert O. Patterson, JD, CEO for The Center for Association Resources.

“With our ‘myth’ list, we want to help others understand what makes a survey effective," Patterson added.

The top five myths include:

Myth 1: “Determining the survey method should be driven by a budget.”
Selecting the wrong survey method routinely yields incomplete or inconsistent data and will usually delay the research process. The Center for Association Resources recommends choosing the appropriate survey based on organizational needs, not a budget.

Myth 2: "Online surveys yield better results."
Online surveys yield very accurate results when properly completed, however, this research method is only effective when members have routine access to computers. Understanding the demographics of the member base is essential.

Myth 3: “Members will understand and comprehend the content of the survey because it is developed by the organization.”
The only way to know if your members will understand the intent and comprehend the content of the survey is to develop documentation or guidelines that match the comprehension levels of the target audience in advance.

Myth 4: “The more questions asked, the more useful the information collected will be.”
In actuality, longer surveys tend to result in more incomplete surveys. Members are unlikely to spend an hour to complete a survey. The Center for Association Resources also cautions using obvious redundancies in questions.

Myth 5: “A significant number of respondents are necessary for a successful survey.”
Sampling goals must align with the scope of the research project. As long as the organization meets the sampling goals prior to completing the research project, the data should be viewed as “representative."

For more information about The Center for Association Resources and to view additional survey myths, visit http://www.centerforassociationresources.com .

About the Center for Association Resources

The Center for Association Resources offers services to non-profit organizations that help navigate them through the complex challenges associated with operating a tax-exempt organization. In addition to serving as management headquarters for ten different non-profits, The Center for Association Resources also provides specialized expertise for clients in project management, strategic planning, leadership and board training, event management as well as survey design and implementation.

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The Center for Association Resources helps qualified non-profit client organizations to achieve success in through innovation, hard work and a level of dedicated service that is unmatched in the association management industry.