About Our Research: Using Qualitative Surveys as a Data Collection Method 

Given our community-based research approach at MA Appleseed, we collect data in several ways. Whether qualitative or quantitative, we center racial equity in our process to ensure that those impacted by the issues we study have their voices heard.  

We explained focus groups in our last blog post. In the next few blog posts, we outline the data collection methods we employ, including semi-structured interviews and quantitative data requests from state agencies. This post will dig into qualitative surveys. 

Surveys are a helpful tool in our research repertoire. This method can be especially useful when we want to: 

• Hear from lawyers, advocates, service providers, and other people working on the social issues we are studying 

• Get information from a large and diverse set of respondents 

• Gather data in a more convenient manner for participants 

• Collect quantitative data to support our qualitative findings 

• Compile a considerable amount of data 

Putting together a survey takes thought and intentionality. We try to focus on ordering the questions in an intuitive way for respondents and only ask questions that we need answers for.  

We prioritize including several types of questions in our surveys to create a dynamic experience for participants. This variation is also important in terms of the data we collect. For example, we can extrapolate percentages, majorities, and the number of respondents providing a specific answer from the different types of questions we ask. This quantitative information helps back up our largely qualitative research findings.  

Surveys take a good deal of time to compile, and we test them before dissemination to work out any kinks and make sure the questions provide the information we are seeking. Although we spend a lot of time on the front end with survey creation, participants only need to take a set amount of time to complete a survey, making this data collection method more passive and less time-consuming for them.  

An example of these strategies in practice is a follow-up survey to our Families Torn Apart report and subsequent civil rights complaint against the MA Department of Children and Families (DCF). We disseminated this survey to lawyers who represent families with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) that are involved with DCF and gathered updated information on language access services provided to their clients. By including a variety of question types and spaces for respondents to expand on their answers, we were able to analyze the data and compile findings that confirmed a lack of improvement in outcomes for families that are LEP and involved with DCF. 

Another positive aspect of survey dissemination is that surveys can be sent to a large group of people easily, for example via listservs. Reaching a wide audience is typically important when collecting data in this way.  

Overall, surveys are useful when we are looking to reach a diverse set of respondents, put less onus on participants, and compile findings that are both qualitative and quantitative in nature.  

The next blog post in this series will explain our use of semi-structured interviews. Stay tuned!