Which description best defines surveys?

Which description best defines surveys?

• A. An ordered series of questions intended to elicit information from respondents.
• B. A government program for tracking citizen demographics.
• C. A method of storing digital data on a hard drive.
• D. A device that outputs graphics to a display.

Answer: (A)

A survey is a structured process of asking people a planned set of questions to gather information. This description fits best because surveys are designed to elicit information from respondents in a consistent way, so their answers can be analyzed and compared. They can be conducted online, by phone, or in person and often collect data on opinions, behaviors, or demographics. The other descriptions describe things that aren’t surveys. A government program for tracking demographics is a broader data-collection effort, not the specific format of asking questions to individuals. Storing digital data on a hard drive and a device that outputs graphics to a display refer to storage and hardware, not to the method of gathering information from people.

A survey is a structured process of asking people a planned set of questions to gather information. This description fits best because surveys are designed to elicit information from respondents in a consistent way, so their answers can be analyzed and compared. They can be conducted online, by phone, or in person and often collect data on opinions, behaviors, or demographics.

The other descriptions describe things that aren’t surveys. A government program for tracking demographics is a broader data-collection effort, not the specific format of asking questions to individuals. Storing digital data on a hard drive and a device that outputs graphics to a display refer to storage and hardware, not to the method of gathering information from people.