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Diploma in Higher Education Studies

Collecting your own data: surveys and interviews

HES 103 · Research and Study Skills for University Study — Week 11 of 16

CourseHES 103
Week11 of 16
SemesterI
TutorOnline in the course chat

This week’s topics

Collecting your own data: surveys and interviews

  1. Writing simple, clear questions
  2. Asking permission and keeping answers private

What you will be able to do

  • 1.1 Distinguish between primary and secondary sources.
  • 3.1 Formulate a clear research question.

Activity

Design a five-question survey for your research question.

Study materials

Further resources

  • Writing Guide, 13.2: Surveys and interviews · PDF · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook (2021), 13.2: planning field research, surveys and interviews, pp. 432–436 · for registered students
  • Principles of Data Science, 2.2: Survey Design and Implementation · PDF · OpenStax Principles of Data Science (2025), 2.2: writing clear survey questions, pp. 61–65 · for registered students
  • Introduction to Sociology 3e, 2.3: Ethical Concerns · PDF · OpenStax Introduction to Sociology 3e (2021), 2.3: consent and keeping answers confidential, pp. 53–55 · for registered students
  • Writing interview protocols and conducting interviews: tips for students new to qualitati… · Open-access article · Jacob & Furgerson (2012), The Qualitative Report. Practical tips for writing questions and running interviews ethically. · for registered students
Materials marked “for registered students” open in the student portal, which is set up as soon as you receive final acceptance.
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Course plan
  • Week 1: Studying independently: planning your week
  • Week 2: What is research?
  • Week 3: Primary and secondary sources
  • Week 4: Finding information: libraries, databases and search engines
  • Week 5: Can I trust this source?
  • Week 6: Making notes from sources
  • Week 7: Referencing: why and how
  • Midterm: Midterm evaluation
  • Week 9: Plagiarism and how to avoid it
  • Week 10: Asking a good research question
  • Week 11: Collecting your own data: surveys and interviews
  • Week 12: Planning a project: aims, steps and a timeline
  • Week 13: Presenting what you found
  • Week 14: Reflecting on your learning
  • Week 15: Review and coursework completion
  • Final: Final assessment and submission
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