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Cornell University

Survey Research Institute

at Cornell University

Project Planning

Thorough planning is the cornerstone of successful survey research, and SRI is ready to guide you no matter where you are in the process.

Before drafting your questions, consider the following:

Study purpose What am I trying to answer?
Target population Whom do I need to know about?
Sample source How will I contact those people?
Project size How many people will I interview?
Budget How will I allocate funding?
Timeline When do I need to conduct this research?
Results How do I plan to analyze the data?

Even if you don't have an answer to these questions yet, thinking about them will help narrow your focus. Once we've established your survey objectives, we can help you select appropriate sampling and data collection methods, and develop a survey instrument matched to your unique needs.

Please visit our consultation page to let us know how we can assist with your next project.