Facilities
12-station computer-assisted telephone interviewing shop
The Lab has a 12-station CATI lab (computer-assisted telephone interviewing) with Sawtooth software. Phone survey instruments can be programmed into this system so that data entry occurs simultaneously with survey administration. Since valid values and logical skip patterns are programmed into the system, the survey output is "clean." This system can also be used for data entry of paper and pencil surveys including mail or intercept surveys. The software facilitates management of CATI projects with automated reports on caller productivity, status of pending cases, and minutes to complete each case. Our phone CATI system is not connected to the internet to enhance data security.
Dedicated web server
Our Sawtooth Software includes a web survey function. We have a dedicated web server, separate from the server for the phone system, to allow for web surveys without exposing our data entry system to online security vulnerability. The system generates individual ID's for respondents who can complete the web survey in a single or multiple sittings. When respondents come back to a partially completed survey they are automatically returned to the point they left off, with previous answers preserved.
Mixed-mode live transfer between phone and web
Because our phone and web software are part of the same integrated system, we can easily transfer partially completed phone cases to the web or retrieve partially completed web cases for phone follow-up. This allows us to recruit by phone, but provide respondents with an option to complete a survey over the internet. Similarly, we can do the reverse. Phone interviewers can call web non-responders with the option to complete the case by phone on the spot if the caller prefers. We can thus finish partially completed phone or web surveys in the opposite mode without loss of data and without repetition of any already-answered items.
Focus group room
The Survey Lab has a dedicated focus group room that seats 10-12 participants comfortably. The room is equipped with a two-way mirror to allow for client observation. We also use the room for student training in interview and survey administration techniques.
ATLAS.ti
The Lab has a site license for five ATLAS.ti textbase software stations for coding and analyzing data from open-ended items on questionnaires, hand-written notes or transcripts of personal interviews and observational field notes.
Advanced grad students
The Survey Lab draws on a labor pool for its projects that consists of extremely bright and highly motivated graduate students at The University. While students who work at the Lab may be enrolled in any of the social science departments, the Lab has been fortunate in attracting many advanced graduate students from the University's top-rated Department of Sociology. Their education, professional and personal interests combine to produce excellent qualitative and quantitative researchers for the Survey Lab. Moreover, the student pool includes native and proficient speakers of languages other than English that may be needed for specific research projects.
