What We've Found
We may think we have chosen the best ideas or plans for a
community or resource only to find ourselves facing opposition. To avoid that
situation, first ask the people who live, work, and recreate there. Find out
their opinions on a survey. The data from surveys can guide, shape, and change
future actions. Surveys do even more than gather information; they help inform
people about a group’s ideas and build support for what is being considered.
They can also help identify opposition before controversy erupts.Just the Facts
assess the attitudes of a random sampling of a target population. An example is
a survey to learn about landowners’ attitudes concerning recreational,
historical, and natural resources in a project area. Residents can be chosen at
random, possibly by a computer sorting property tax records.
of surveys are generally used for public input: face-to-face, telephone
Face-to-face surveys are best for specific user groups such as bike riders. This
method requires having a number of competent interviewers.
surveys are a good method for reaching a very specialized segment of the
population. This group tends to be very interested in the topic because the
results directly affect them. Even so, people may not be willing to answer any
questions because they are annoyed at being contacted at home. Answering
machines can also cause a lower response rate.
Mail surveys enable
soliciting public input from a large and representative group. Their advantage
is that they are delivered directly to the perspective respondent who can fill
them out at his or her leisure. An easy to return mailer helps to encourage
respondents to reply.
For mailed surveys, the percentage of people who
reply, called a response rate, is very often fairly low. Most surveys are
considered successful if the rate falls between 12–20 percent.How To Do It1. Scope it out
goals for a survey. What information is not known that needs to be known? Or,
what is the reaction to a proposal or plan? Figure out ahead of time exactly how
the information will be used: Will the survey measure attitudes? Will it
demonstrate support for or against proposed actions? Will it solicit opinions
about the value of the project? This is also the time to determine a survey
method (face-to-face, telephone, or mail) and the target audience.
2. Get professional help
Seek assistance from a
college or university professor or an experienced professional company or agency
to design the survey and guide the entire process. Consider the following when
- Compose questions in reference to the statement or hypothesis. Know exactly
how the answers to each and every question will be used or else do not ask it.
- Make the survey brief, concise, efficient; avoid jargon or technical
- Limit the number of fill-in-the-blank questions. This will increase the
response rate and encourage participants to give more thought to the ones that
remain. People’s comments, even though they are anonymous, can become possible
testimonials used in brochures,
Pretest questions using a small, outside group who has not been involved in
the project. Make sure the survey is understandable and clear. Revise as
3. Design the package
Assume that the
person who receives the survey has never heard about the project or planning
effort underway. Include a letter of introduction, ideally from a community
leader or member of the project team that explains the purpose of the survey and
appropriate background. There should be clear, easy-to-read instructions, and an
enveloped or other pre-paid postage return mailer. The survey should be
user-friendly and visually attractive, easy to approach, inviting, definitely
not off-putting as in dense, small-font text with lots of printing, etc.
4. Distribute it
Make sure the sample audience is
representative of the entire population within the project area or is targeted
to users of a specific site. For landowners, rely on tax records sorted randomly
by a computer. Again, it is important to use an outside agency or academic
institution that is experienced and impartial.
It may be desirable to
send out postcards a
week after mailing the survey to urge people to respond and to thank those who
already have completed the survey. The decision to do a follow-up mailing can be
based on rate of return. For example, if the return rate is less than 3 percent
then do a mailing; if it is greater than 3 percent, do not do the mailing.
5. Summarize the findings
Again, rely upon a
professional to tabulate responses and present the data. Then prepare a
question-by-question report of findings and a brief interpretation. Create a
report or a pamphlet of an executive summary, post findings on a website, or chose
another method to publicize the results. If respondents were promised copies of
the final tally, mail those in a timely manner. Coordinate all actions with
issuing a press
release that highlights the results and lets people know they were
tool used to elicit answers and opinions from respondents.
- You need to get feedback and information from a broad cross-section of
- You are looking to increase awareness of your effort and to encourage
- You want to establish credibility for your public involvement efforts. If
the survey is carried out professionally and the results are published and used,
that can positively affect people’s opinions and raise interest
Forget It If...
- You cannot get trained, experienced professionals to run the survey and
- You do not have the time necessary for the entire survey process or lack the
financial resources to pay for its production, mailing, and tabulation.
- You have not defined the scope of the information you want to collect or you
do not know how to use the information once it is collected.
Undertake a survey at the
beginning of a project to involve the public and collect a lot of data. If there
is a particularly controversial issue or an expansion of the scope of the
project that needs more community input, consider using a survey again later
I65 to US31 Comment Survey - D3 -
Item No. 3-16
Advisory Committee Survey and
Results - D6- Item No. 6-17
Stakeholder Comment Survey -
D7- Item No. 7-261
Work Group Survey Forms -
D8- Item No. 8-59.2
Public Comment Form - D9-
Item No. 9-129
Survey Questionnaire - D10-
Item No. 10-8200