The course aims to offer participants general basic knowledge needed for implementation of high-quality web surveys. The course deals with the challenge of using the World Wide Web for survey data collection. Web surveys are technically easy to implement, however the understanding of underlying methodological principles is crucial for successful application in practice. Throughout the course, participants will learn the basics of these principles for all stages of the web survey process: pre-fielding (choosing the mode, sampling design, questionnaire preparation and testing, managerial aspects), fielding (nonresponse reduction, measurement, monitoring), and post-fielding (editing, archiving). Throughout the course, we will put a special emphasis on error sources that can compromise the quality of web survey data. Participants will also be introduced to 1KA (http://english.1ka.si), a free open-source software, for implementing web surveys. They are encouraged to bring their own web survey projects to the class.

Course leader
Prof. Dr. Katja Lozar Manfreda, Dr. Nejc Berzelak

Target group
Participants will find the course useful if they:- have some basic knowledge of survey methodology and would like to extend it to web surveys;- want to conduct a web survey for their research or study purposes;- would like to improve the quality of web surveys they already conduct or plan to conduct in the future;- consider switching a currently existing survey to the web mode.Prerequisites:Participants are expected to be familiar with the basics of survey methodology (key terminology and basic principles of writing survey questions).

Course aim
By the end of the course participants will:- obtain the practical and methodological knowledge to conduct high-quality web surveys;- learn the basics of web survey software tools and understand the principles of selecting the most appropriate tool for specific purposes;- understand possible deficiences and mistakes in conducting web surveys;- be able to conduct all stages of their own web survey projects;- be able to evaluate quality of data obtained using web surveys.

Credits info
4 ECTS - Certificate of attendance issued upon completion.Optional bookings:- 2 ECTS points via the University of Mannheim for regular attendance and satisfactory work on daily assignments (EUR 20).- 4 ECTS points via the University of Mannheim for regular attendance and satisfactory work on daily assignments and for submitting a paper/report of about 5000 words to the lecturer(s) up to 4 weeks after the end of the summer school (EUR 50).

Fee info
EUR 250: Student/PhD student rate. EUR 350: Academic/non-profit rate. Early bird discount: EUR 50 for applicants who book and pay by April 30.The rates include the tuition fee, course materials, the academic program, access to library and IT facilities, coffee/tea, and a number of social activities.

Scholarships
10 DAAD scholarships are available via the Center for Doctoral Studies in Social and Behavioral Sciences (CDSS) at the University of Mannheim.

GESIS-Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences
Address: Knowledge Transfer, Unter Sachsenhausen 6-8 Cologne
Postal code: 50667
City: Cologne
Country: Germany
Website: http://www.gesis.org/summerschool
E-mail: summerschool@gesis.org
Phone: +49-221-476940