For greater clarity in this issue we should stop to start at the very definition of a poll. In general, the survey is called the primary method of collecting verbal information by asking questions to a group of people. Poll - the most common method of investigation, with which produces 90% of social science data. In a broad sense, as a case study - a particular kind of systematic cognitive activity aimed at the study of social objects, relationships and processes in order to obtain new information and identify patterns of social life based on the theories, methods and procedures adopted in sociology.

What is the sociological study? In a narrower sense, a sociological study - a system of consistent methodological, methodical, organizational and technical procedures, subject to the same goal: to obtain accurate and objective data on studying the social object, phenomenon or process. In other words, a case study - a particular kind of social (social science) research (their "core"), which considers society as a whole system and relies on the specific methods and techniques for collecting, processing and analysis of primary data that are accepted in sociology.

Public life constantly presents us with many questions to answer which can only be through scientific research, in particular the sociological. However, not every study in sociology is a sociological fact. Important to distinguish between them because today is often necessary to meet the arbitrary interpretation of the study, when almost any concrete social development of a social science wrongly called sociological research.

Phases of a sociological study

Like any other research, sociological research involves several steps:

1. stage of preparation, is thinking about goals, programming and planning, identifying resources and timing of the study, as well as in the choice of methods of analysis and processing of sociological information;

2. stage involves the collection of primary sociological information - collected non-aggregated information in various forms (records researchers, extracts of documents, individual responses to respondents, etc.);

3. preparation phase collected during the survey (questionnaire, interview, observation of other ways) of information processing, the programming process and the actual processing of information received on the computer;

4. The final stage - an analysis of the information being processed, the preparation of the scientific report on the results of the study and formulation of conclusions and recommendations and proposals for a customer or other entity management, initiated a sociological study.

Of course, we must note the existence of certain difficulties with the reliability of the data. In the implementation of surveillance is difficult to reach a large number of phenomena. This raises the possibility of errors in the interpretation of events and actions from the standpoint of the motives of their actions. The probability of error there is, and because the sociologist is not only watching. He has his own frame of reference upon which he interprets in his own way, interpret certain facts and events. However, despite the subjective perception of the basic content of the material reflects the objective situation.

Every opinion poll can be divided into two types: intramural and absentee poll. At internal poll is in direct contact sociologist and the respondent, in which both participants influence one another. The most common kind of full-time survey is that most interviews, for which, in fact, everything in this chapter and was started. Scope of the interview is extensive, ranging statistics and medicine and ending with pedagogy and management. But in all these areas we can distinguish two functions of the interview as research method: obtaining information on events, phenomena, facts, processes and impact on the respondent. In sociology and social psychology interview method used to obtain information on the characteristics of social processes and phenomena, while the frequency of application throughout the world, this method takes a leading position.

The essence of the method of interview-based survey in sociology, if take everything said by the common denominator is reduced to communication. Several less likely to use polustandartizirovannoe interview. It is based on no formal questionnaire, and memos ("Guide") with a list of mandatory questions, usually semi-enclosed, do not rule out discussion with the respondent other, but related research topic concerns. Even rarer focused interview, in which standardized only the original question (albeit in several variations), but the main problem seems to focus respondents on the discussion of the variant of the problem which seems to them most important. When interviewing the contact between the researcher and the respondent made by the interviewer, who asks the questions referred to the researcher, organizes and directs the conversation with every single person and captures the responses received. This survey method requires much time and money, but at the same time increases the reliability of data collected by reducing the number of non-response and errors in completing the questionnaires. The advantages of interviews are disclosed in full in the use of free (non-formalized) and poluformalizovannyh its variants.

Say, too, need to be able to

In compiling the questionnaire (and it needs to be done in any case) is important and such a time as the language of the interview. The main criterion for selecting a language and syntax of the questionnaire is the need to ensure the most accurate and comprehensive reports make sense of messages from the interviewer to the respondent, and vice versa. In other words, the language of the interviewer should follow a common vocabulary of the interviewer and the respondent. The presence of a common vocabulary does not mean that the interviewer should use the same popular or vulgar expression, or to speak with the same emphasis as the respondent. This means that the language in which you say should be understandable to the respondent. The answers of the respondent also did not have to be formulated in terms of the interviewer, but must be understood to them. Vocabulary and manner of expression should be common sense to create a common basis for understanding.

Along with this there is the problem complexity issues. The degree of complexity of the issue should be approximately the level of understanding of the respondent. From the methodological point of view is not desirable to ask as too complicated or too simplistic questions. Too much simplification of the wording of questions emphasizes the social distance that might offend the respondent. Contact error (asking questions that are above the level of understanding of the respondent) causes two negative effects:

√ difficulty in communicating (the respondent does not understand what was wanted of him)

√ motivational problems (respondent in this case can feel a big gap between himself and the interviewer, in consequence of which it would seem that this man was never properly did not understand). In all cases, you can lose the trust of the respondent and his desire to continue the interview. In general, I must say that the conduct of the interview (or even if formal survey) - a very difficult task. Have to communicate with different people in different places, on a completely different topic. There is never such that all respondents were happy to agree to an interview with the interviewer, so the important thing is to establish the first contact. It is important to try and convince the respondent's interest in the importance of this survey and in person his (respondent's) opinions, estimates. We must always remember that in many ways the effectiveness of the conversation depends on the environment in which to conduct interviews.