HCI 541

Winter 2025

Craig Miller

Weekly Notes

Assignments

Assignment 1
Analyze an Existing Survey
Due Sunday January 19 before 11:30pm

Overview

For this assignment, you will choose an existing survey and analyze its properties.

Requirements

  1. Choose an existing survey. As a survey, it should generally be an asynchronous method for gathering data or at least not be supervised by a human interviewer with the agency to rephrase questions or ask follow up questions. It will typically consist of an online form with various interactive controls (e.g. checkboxes, radio buttons, menus, and text areas for provided open-ended feedback). The survey can be of any length. For particularly long surveys (more than a page), consider focusing on one segment of the survey.
  2. Document your survey. Provide context of where it is encountered. As appropriate, provide a link, a screen shot and/or its text, possibly in the appendix of your document.
  3. Consider the following properties that might apply to a survey:
    • Inquiry objective of the survey --- this would include how the survey responses are likely to be used
    • Intended population
    • Sample frame (see Fowler ch. 3)
    • Process for inclusion in the sample frame
    • Estimated time to complete
    • Types of questions
    • Confirmation of completion
    • Other properties?

    As appropriate, select a subset of these properties and provide descriptions to them. For some, it is possible that you cannot definitively determine their answers. In these cases, you may infer or speculate their answers. Qualify your answers accordingly.

  4. Compare your analysis to the chracteristics presented by Fowler in chapter 1. Would Fowler characterize your survey as a survey?
  5. Write a one-paragraph (or so) summary of your report that will allow others to quickly learn about its critical properties and group it with similar surveys. Post this paragraph to the designated D2L discussion board. Include this paragraph as an executive summary (abstract) in your document.

The report format is up to you but consider use of the following:

  • Word processor to check for spelling and grammar.
  • Labeled headers and sections to allow the reader to visually identify elements in the report.
  • Selective use of fonts or font-weights to highlight key components.
  • Condensed yet aesthetically pleasing line spacing to permit online reviewing (minimal vertical scrolling).

Submission

The submitted document should use a common presentation format, ideally PDF. Submit the document through D2L. A rubric for grading the assignment is present with the dropbox submission folder.

Grading

This project is worth 15% of the course grade and will be reviewed using the following criteria:

  • Completeness. All requirements are addressed.
  • Usefulness. The report emphasizes properties that usefully characterize the survey.
  • Accuracy. Description of properties are carefully qualified. They show understanding of terms and characteristics.
  • Ease of review. The document is organized and content presented to faciliate review of the above criteria.