Data Collection

CSBR provides data collection services for telephone, web-based, and self-administered mail-back surveys. In addition, CSBR conducts qualitative data collection through methods such as focus groups and interviews.

Center for Social and Behavioral Research

Focus Groups & Qualitative Methods

Serving as an important complement to traditional survey methodology, qualitative data can provide a richness not always attainable solely through quantitative methods. CSBR staff members have experience conducting in-depth interviews on a variety of topics.

In addition, CSBR staff members have received extensive training in focus group moderation and have experience moderating focus groups with a number of target audiences and topics. Focus groups can be especially useful in exploring unknown topic areas or developing seemingly paradoxical or confusing findings from quantitative data collection designs.

CSBR staff members can provide assistance with all stages of qualitative research including project design, recruitment of participants, interviewing and facilitation (as group moderator and/or assistant), transcription, analysis and synthesis of data, and report writing.

Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) Laboratory

The CSBR CATI Lab is a 24-station facility used to conduct telephone interviews in support of center projects. Sawtooth Technologies WinCATI Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing software is used to provide the most efficient and accurate data collection. These resources are continuously evaluated and kept up-to-date.

The CATI Lab is lead by the Data Collection and Grants Manager, Rod Muilenburg. Additional support is provided by Assistant Field Supervisor Malakai Calhoun, lab facilitators, and a staff of research interviewers. The research interviewer pool is primarily composed of UNI students who have been trained in human research subjects' protection, general interviewing skills, CATI methods, and project-specific procedures. Interviews have been conducted in English and Spanish languages.

Data collection is conducted according to the standards of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the UNI Human Subjects Review Committee. This ensures adherence to scientific rigor and the protection of the rights of subjects in research projects.