The Human Element in Survey Research

Abstract

This paper addresses itself to issues related to data collection in survey research with a community population. Areas discussed relate to practical human problems in conducting a community survey of a stratified random sample of people sixty-five years of age and over in New York City. Some of these problems occur in most large scale community surveys, but some are a result of special features of this particular study. Topics covered include difficulties encountered in obtaining interviews, maintaining the staff, and coordinating the research team in the ongoing U.S.-U.K. Cross-National Project.