Survey research seems to be the most basic research method out there. For the most part, surveys are easy to construct, simple to complete, and gives immediate answers and resluts. The information is easy to interpret because participants select from given answers. There is no need for interpretation or miscommunication. If the question is plainly put, the survey should give reliable answers to any research question.
I find surveys to be a very popular research method in sports. Whether it be to predict which team will win the big game, who is thought to be the highest played athlete, what is the most popular sport to watch, or who is the best athlete, surveys can be used and answers can be recieved. I found an article from Sports Illustrated online that contained multiple surveys. I knew Sports Illustrated is known for their surveys and polls becuase I grew up in a house of all brothers and a die-hard sports fan for a father. The article was all about baseball and asked various questions about the best players, the legends of the game, best stadium, best and worst fans, and who the best and worst coaches are. It picked apart and analyzed every segment of baseball. It presented the questions in a very matter of fact, simple way which would eliminate confusion to the particpants. In return, the data was presented in percentages with the highest first and continued in descending order allowing for easy reading and interpretation. 550 people participated in the surveys which is a good sample size, but what the article does not specifiy is if all 550 are regular Sports Illustrated readers, or where the sample came from.
I think, especially in sports when things are changing so rapdily and there are multiple games a day and things to report, surveys are a fun, effective way to gather informatoin. They are usually about the hot topics, be it scandal, upsets, or victory, and draw a lot of attention. It is an interatcive way to get readers involved as well as attracting new followers. Many times the Sports Illustrated polls are put on moving tickers at the bottom of games or sports programming which is further getting the name out. The high profile player critique, or fan favorite moments represented in the survey serve as fun, interesting reading material for the public, but can provide serious insight to coaches, players, or publicists about apprecaition of a player, or attitiudes regarding certain topics.
I think surveys are a fun, easy, effective way to gather information. In sports, the survey topics and questions are endless and there is always something arising that sparks curiosity. The need for opinion is a huge reason for surveys, and instead of asking open-ended questions and getting a million variations, surverys are quick, straight-forward and to the point. As long as there is no tricky wording in the question or contradiction in the answers, and the sample is drawn on a broad scale to get an accurate population representation, surveys are the way to go. Always listen to what the survey says!
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