TY - JOUR
T1 - Methodological Issues in Survey Research: A Historical Review
AU - de Heer, W.
AU - de Leeuw, E.D.
AU - van der Zouwen, J.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - In this paper, we present a historical overview of social surveys and describe the historical development of scientific survey methodology and survey statistics. The origins of survey research can be traced back to the early 19th century and the first scientiflc survey was conducted in England in 1912 by Bowley. Modem survey methods have their roots in the 1930�s, when three major aspects of the survey process were developed and refined: sampling techniques, data collection techniques, and statistical methods for data analysis. In the fifties, the scientific face-to-face interview was established, and handbooks were published. In the early seventies, telephone interviewing was introduced and mailsurvey methods were updated and refined. This was followed by the development of computer-assisted interviewing and electronic surveys in the eighties and nineties. At the same time, more emphasis was given to concepts such as measurement error, nonresponse. and total quality control. We are now at the brink of a new millennium. Although the basic principles of the scientific survey still hold. survey statisticians from the last millennium, like Bowley, would be surprised to see the design of a survey in 2012. Undoubtedly, this design will incorporate new technologies and will focus on reducing the respondent�s burden, while improving data quality. Bowley would certainly be pleased to see that sophisticated methods for the reduction of nonresponse and measurement error have been incorporated in a total quality survey design!. © 1999, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.
AB - In this paper, we present a historical overview of social surveys and describe the historical development of scientific survey methodology and survey statistics. The origins of survey research can be traced back to the early 19th century and the first scientiflc survey was conducted in England in 1912 by Bowley. Modem survey methods have their roots in the 1930�s, when three major aspects of the survey process were developed and refined: sampling techniques, data collection techniques, and statistical methods for data analysis. In the fifties, the scientific face-to-face interview was established, and handbooks were published. In the early seventies, telephone interviewing was introduced and mailsurvey methods were updated and refined. This was followed by the development of computer-assisted interviewing and electronic surveys in the eighties and nineties. At the same time, more emphasis was given to concepts such as measurement error, nonresponse. and total quality control. We are now at the brink of a new millennium. Although the basic principles of the scientific survey still hold. survey statisticians from the last millennium, like Bowley, would be surprised to see the design of a survey in 2012. Undoubtedly, this design will incorporate new technologies and will focus on reducing the respondent�s burden, while improving data quality. Bowley would certainly be pleased to see that sophisticated methods for the reduction of nonresponse and measurement error have been incorporated in a total quality survey design!. © 1999, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.
U2 - 10.1177/075910639906400104
DO - 10.1177/075910639906400104
M3 - Article
SN - 0759-1063
VL - 64
SP - 29
EP - 46
JO - Bulletin de Methodologie Sociologique
JF - Bulletin de Methodologie Sociologique
ER -