Surveys - Ideas

Introduction

The survey wing at IDEAS was established in 2017 as an in-house department with the infrastructural capacity to conduct multiple survey activities for ongoing research projects. The survey department has worked on a variety of interdisciplinary projects, and now boasts a team of 150+ trained field staff that facilitate the collection of real time electronic data through the use of tablets. Our experienced team undertakes primary data collection for all ongoing research projects at IDEAS, and also provides services to external organizations/researchers. From conducting large-scale quantitative surveys to administering a spectrum of qualitative tools, our team can assist with all stages of the survey cycle including stakeholder management and coordination, sampling assistance, survey design support, respondent database maintenance, preliminary analysis of key variables of interest, etc..

The survey team has successfully executed over 40 qualitative and quantitative field activities funded by various institutional partners including the United Nations Women (UNW), Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL), Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP) and United States Institute for Peace (USIP).

Experimental games
Knowledge tests and learning outcomes
List experiments and conjoint experiments
Vignettes and section randomization
Lab experiments
Interviews (Structured and semi-structured)
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
Key Informant interview (KIIs)
Observation surveys
Flash surveys
Follow up surveys (Phone and in person)

Survey Level

Household survey
School survey (Student/Teacher/Principal/Parents)
Bureaucracy surveys
Political elite survey
Business place surveys
Neighborhood meeting surveys
In lab surveys
Firm surveys

Services

Primary Data Collection

Real time in person and phone data collection through ODK and Survey CTO.
Monitoring through spot checks, back checks, logical checks and data checks.
Impact on outcome using enumerator (area/point) fixed effects for checking the quality of enumerators.
Trend reporting for the variables of interest on a bi-monthly basis to check the validity of the data with project hypothesis.

Sampling and Randomization Assistance

Assistance to research team with sampling.
Random point dropping through QGIS.
Within-survey randomization of questions.
Within-household randomization through Kish grid.

Survey Design Support

Translation of the survey in local language
Vetting the language, sensitivity, and cultural appropriateness of the survey tool
Checking logical flow and contradictions of the survey

Intervention and Logistics Support