Designing Effective Surveys for Social Work Research: A Hands-on Workshop

Surveys are a cornerstone of social work research, providing critical insights into client experiences, program outcomes, and community needs. Unfortunately, many graduate students receive limited formal training in how to translate research questions into survey items that produce valid, reliable, and meaningful data. Poorly designed surveys run the risk of introducing bias, reducing validity, and limiting the usefulness of data findings. This interactive workshop provides practical guidance for developing high-quality surveys that are aligned with social work students’ research goals.

The session will begin with a discussion of key principles of survey design, including aligning questions with research objectives, distinguishing between nominal and dimensional constructs in measurements, selecting appropriate response formats (e.g., Likert scales, multiple-choice, open-ended questions), and avoiding common errors such as leading questions. The workshop will also address ethical considerations, such as informed consent, confidentiality, and cultural relevance when working with diverse populations or protected groups. In addition, the workshop will introduce practical strategies for preliminary scale validation, particularly in small-sample contexts common in dissertation research. Attendees will learn how to assess internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha), examine item performance, and use exploratory approaches (e.g., item-total correlation, parallel analysis, and simplified factor structures) to refine survey instruments when large-sample validation is not feasible. Emphasis will be placed on balancing methodological rigor with feasibility in early-stage research.

Participants will then engage in small-group exercises in which they will develop survey questions for real-world social work research scenarios. Facilitators will provide feedback and concrete suggestions for improvement.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to: (1) translate research questions into clearly defined and measurable survey items, (2) select response formats that capture meaningful data, (3) ensure surveys are valid, reliable, and ethically sound, and (4) understand how to pilot-test and revise surveys questions.

This workshop is ideal for graduate students and early-career researchers seeking to strengthen their methodological skills in survey design. Participants will leave with practical tools, increased confidence in survey design, and strategies to produce data that can inform social work research and evidence-based practice.