Inclusive survey design challenges : underrepresentation and hard-to-research populations / Dimitri Prandner.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Prandner, Dimitri, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social surveys--Methodology.

Social surveys.

Participant observation--Methodology.

Participant observation.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

London : SAGE Publications Ltd, 2026.

Summary:

Survey research continues to be a central tool in the social sciences, but it has known weaknesses when it comes to covering diverse populations. Accordingly, this How-to Guide introduces inclusion as a core methodologic concern in survey research and examines how standard survey designs potentially exclude certain populations. Drawing on the total survey error framework, it distinguishes between hard-to-reach populations, whose underrepresentation results primarily from limitations in sampling and recruitment, and hard-to-research populations, for whom standardized questionnaires may create measurement barriers. Rather than treating these groups as inherently difficult, this guide emphasizes that exclusion is largely the outcome of methodologic design choices interacting with unequal distributions of linguistic, educational, and institutional resources. The guide outlines how inclusion problems emerge at different stages of the survey process and discusses methodologic strategies to address them. Two empirical examples illustrate recruitment- and measurement-related challenges and demonstrate how inclusive design choices, such as adapted recruitment strategies and multilingual instruments, may reduce exclusion. Overall, the guide provides students and researchers with conceptual tools and practical guidance for critically reflecting on survey research practices and for designing more inclusive surveys while remaining transparent about methodologic tradeoffs.

Notes:

Description based on XML content.

ISBN:

9781036253189

OCLC:

1594889648

Publisher Number:

T303044