THE LIBRARY SURVEY - A RESEARCH METHODOLOGY REDISCOVERED

Survey research is based on sound theory and the development of hypotheses. It is systematic and controlled; it uses the language of variables and is concerned with relationships between or among them. It seeks answers to the posed hypotheses and makes use of statistical analyses beyond tabulations. Survey research should not be disregarded as a research methodology because it does not meet all the criteria for empirical investigation. The quality of surveys can be improved if researchers understand the basic differences between descriptive surveys and survey research. Some ways of improving the quality of survey research include adequate planning, sampling, data collection, and the use of appropriate statistical analyses.