Methodological Issues in Survey Research: A Historical Review

W. de Heer, E.D. de Leeuw, J. van der Zouwen

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

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.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)29-46
Number of pages18
JournalBulletin de Methodologie Sociologique
Volume64
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1999

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