The spelling of the word "telephone survey" is fairly straightforward. The first word, "telephone," is pronounced as /ˈtɛlɪfəʊn/, with the stress on the second syllable. The second word, "survey," is pronounced as /ˈsɜːveɪ/, with the stress on the first syllable. Together, the phrase is pronounced as /ˈtɛlɪfəʊn ˈsɜːveɪ/. A telephone survey is a method of data collection that involves conducting interviews or surveys over the phone, usually to gather information on a particular topic or issue.
A telephone survey is a method of data collection used to gather information or opinions from a sample of respondents by conducting telephone conversations. It involves contacting individuals or households through a phone call to ask a series of questions in order to collect data for research purposes or to gauge public opinion on various topics.
During a telephone survey, trained interviewers utilize a standardized questionnaire to gather data from participants. The questions may cover a wide range of topics such as consumer preferences, political affiliations, opinions on social issues, or customer satisfaction. The interviewer asks the questions and records the responses provided by the respondent on a computer or other data collection device.
Telephone surveys offer several advantages. They are relatively cost-effective, can be conducted quickly, and allow for rapid data collection. Additionally, they provide a wide geographical coverage, as households or individuals from different locations can be reached through telephone communication. Moreover, telephone surveys allow for real-time interaction, clarification of questions, and easy monitoring and quality control mechanisms.
However, telephone surveys also have limitations. They may suffer from a low response rate due to a growing reluctance of individuals to engage in telephone conversations with unknown callers. The representativeness of the sample is another concern, as some groups may be underrepresented (such as those without a landline) or difficult to reach (such as the elderly or low-income individuals). Despite these limitations, telephone surveys remain a valuable tool for gathering data and insights from a diverse range of respondents.
The word "telephone" originates from the Greek words "tele", meaning "far", and "phone", meaning "voice" or "sound". "Survey" comes from the Latin word "super", meaning "over" or "above", and "vadere", meaning "to go" or "to walk". The term "telephone survey" combines these two words to refer to a data collection method in which respondents are interviewed over the phone to gather information or opinions on a specific topic.