Surveys In Social Research (social Research Today)

SURVEYS IN SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Research Today edited by Martin Bulmer The Social Research Today series provides concise and contemporary introductions to significant methodological topics in the social sciences. Covering both quantitative and qualitative methods, this new series features readable and accessible books from some of the leading names in the field and is aimed at students and professional researchers alike. This series also brings together for the first time the best titles from the old Social Research Today and Contemporary Social Research series edited by Martin Bulmer for UCL Press and Routledge. Other series titles include: Principles of Research Design in the Social Sciences Frank Bechhofer and Lindsay Paterson Social Impact Assessment Henk Becker The Turn to Biographical Methods in Social Science edited by Prue Chamberlayne, Joanna Bornat and Tom Wengraf Quantity and Quality in Social Research Alan Bryman Research Methods and Organisational Studies Alan Bryman Field Research: A Sourcebook and Field Manual Robert G Burgess In the Field: An Introduction to Field Research Robert G Burgess Research Design second edition Catherine Hakim Measuring Health and Medical Outcomes edited by Crispin Jenkinson Methods of Criminological Research Victor Jupp Information Technology for the Social Scientist edited by Raymond M Lee An Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Research Tim May and Malcolm Williams Researching Social and Economic Change: The Uses of Household Panel Studies edited by David Rose Researching the Powerful in Education edited by Geoffrey Walford Martin Bulmer is Professor of Sociology and co-director of the Institute of Social Research at the University of Surrey. He is also Academic Director of the Question Bank in the ESRC Centre for Applied Social Surveys, London. SURVEYS IN SOCIAL RESEARCH Fifth edition David de Vaus First published in 1985 Fifth edition 2002 Published in Australia by: Allen & Unwin, 83 Alexander Street, Crows Nest NSW 2065 PO Box 8500, St Leonards NSW 1590, Australia Published elsewhere (excluding North America) by: Routledge, 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” © D.A. de Vaus 1985, 1990, 1991, 1995, 2002 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0-203-50105-5 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-55923-1 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0-415-26857-5 (hbk) ISBN 0-415-26858-3 (pbk) Brief contents Detailed contents vii Boxes, figures, web pointers and tables xx Preface Part I xxviii THE SCOPE OF SURVEY RESEARCH 1 The nature of surveys 2 Theory and social research 10 3 Formulating and clarifying research questions 27 Part II