STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF SURVEY RESEARCH
 

    As indicated at the outset, surveys are particularly good for producing precise descriptions of mass populations.  The U. S. Census is a good example of this, as well as the political polls that often kill the suspense of political campaigns by accurately predicting the results before the first ballot has been cast.

    Surveys also allow for the collection of a great deal of data from a large number of people.

    On the negative side, surveys share with experiments the disadvantage of artificiality.  There is always a risk that people's answers to questionnaire items may not reflect their true feelings nor they subsequent actions.  Surveys can also seem superficial, when compared with field research, for example, as we'll see in the next chapter.