Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology
Home | Overview | People | Academics | Survey Research Services | National Resources Inventory

Selected
projects

Administrative & Community Research

Top

An Evaluation of the Iowa State University Veterinary Pharmacy, Reception Services, and Clinicians

Client:
Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Iowa State University
Type:
Web survey
Size:
110 completed
Description:
Research study to evaluate three facets of the ISU Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences: the veterinary pharmacy, the veterinary reception services, and the professional practice of faculty clinicians.

Administrative & Community Research

Study of Assistive Technology Needs in Iowa

Client:
Iowa State University Disability Resources and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Type:
Mail survey
Size:
110 completed
Description:
Mail survey with Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors to identify needs and provide information regarding the functions of a potential assistive technology center at Iowa State University.

Administrative & Community Research

A Survey of Iowa State University Community College Transfer Students

Client:
Iowa State University Department of Education Leadership and Policy Studies, sponsored by the ISU Division of Student Affairs and Office of Enrollment Services
Type:
Web survey
Size:
Over 225 completed
Description:
Project designed to learn how well Iowa State University and Iowa community colleges are meeting the needs of transfer students.

Administrative & Community Research

Recreational Services Survey

Client:
Iowa State University Recreation Services
Type:
Mail survey
Size:
210 completed
Description:
Study designed to evaluate the programs of the ISU Recreation Services Department with an emphasis on the Intramural Sports program.

Administrative & Community Research

Study of Faculty Time Allocation

Client:
State of Iowa Board of Regents
Type:
Mail/web survey
Size:
400 completed
Description:
Annual survey of university faculty designed to ascertain workload and time allocation among teaching, research, and community outreach responsibilities.

Administrative & Community Research

ISU College of Agriculture Faculty Survey on Teaching and Learning

Client:
Iowa State University College of Agriculture
Type:
Mail survey
Size:
400 faculty and teaching staff
Description:
Research study to assess the undergraduate and graduate program needs of the college, to evaluate uses for funds and to help establish priorities for program development and possible expenditures that support teaching.

Administrative & Community Research

Professional & Scientific Staff Survey

Client:
Iowa State University Professional & Scientific Council
Type:
Mail survey
Size:
1650 completed
Description:
Project designed to gain insight about university staff perceptions of their work environment, professional development opportunities, compensation packages, and the performance appraisal process.

Administrative & Community Research

Assessment of Student Alcohol Use

Client:
Iowa State University Student Health Center
Type:
Telephone interviews with list sample of Iowa State University students
Size:
500 interviews
Description:
Project designed to study the extent and nature of alcohol use among ISU students.

Administrative & Community Research

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation Assessment

Client:
North Central Association's Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
Type:
Mail study of administrators at institutions of higher education accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Size:
1000 College/University administrators and 300 Consultant Evaluators
Description:
Project designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing accreditation process.

Administrative & Community Research

Ames Community School Census

Client:
Ames Community School District
Type:
Door-to-door census of preschool-aged children
Size:
Approximately 13,000 households
Description:
Biennial census conducted over a period of 40 years of Ames preschool-aged children to help anticipate elementary school enrollment.

Administrative & Community Research

Top

Agriculture & Conservation Research

Top

Survey of Iowa Veterinarians

Client:
Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and ISU College of Veterinary Medicine
Type:
Telephone interviews with a list sample
Size:
360 completed
Description:
Study designed to assess the needs and the challenges faced by licensed Iowa veterinarians, with a focus on food animal medicine.

Agriculture & Conservation Research

Shelterbelts and Livestock Odor Mitigation

Client:
Iowa State University Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Type:
Multi-mode study of pork consumers and producers
Size:
1000 participants
Description:
A three-year study of livestock odor mitigation issues with pork producers and consumers that focused particularly on the use of shelterbelts of trees and shrubs as part of an odor management system. Data collected in three states through RDD and list sample telephone interviews and focus groups.

Agriculture & Conservation Research

Study of Oil Filter Disposal Practices

Client:
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Type:
Telephone study with list samples of farmers and four types of businesses plus RDD sample of general population
Size:
1100 interviews conducted
Description:
Study designed to learn about oil filter disposal practices and overall knowledge level among automotive-related businesses, farmers, and general population in Iowa.

Agriculture & Conservation Research

Farmland Ownership Patterns in Iowa

Client:
Various clients, including Iowa State University Center for International Agriculture and Finance
Type:
Telephone interviews with owners of Iowa farm land
Size:
The last five projects tracked 1000 parcels of Iowa farmland at 5-year intervals.
Description:
Multiple land ownership studies conducted by CSSM over the past 50 years that identify characteristics of agricultural land owners, methods of farmland acquisition, and land management.

Agriculture & Conservation Research

Iowa Pork Producers Study

Client:
Iowa State University's College of Agriculture, The Iowa Pork Producers Association
Type:
List sample telephone survey
Size:
350 completed
Description:
Study designed to identify the odor control methods that pork producers consider to be effective and practical.

Agriculture & Conservation Research

Top

Economic Research

Top

National Financial Planning Program Evaluation Survey

Client:
University of Minnesota and the National Endowment for Financial Education
Type:
Mail survey
Size:
5500 surveys completed by teachers and students
Description:
Research designed to evaluate the High School Financial Planning Program developed and distributed by the National Endowment for Financial Education in an effort to keep the curriculum practical, usable, current, and effective.

Economic Research

Technology and Citizenship

Client:
Iowa State University Research Institute for Studies in Education and Drake University
Type:
Random digit dial telephone study
Size:
475 completed interviews
Description:
Study designed to learn how the use of computers, particularly email and the Internet, might encourage involvement in basic responsibilities as US citizens.

Economic Research

Salary Survey of Business, Industry, and Government Organizations

Client:
American Statistical Association
Type:
Mail/web survey
Size:
Nearly 1200 completed
Description:
Research study designed to provide relevant statistician salary benchmarks for organizations and their employees.

Economic Research

Community Housing Study

Client:
Iowa State University Department of Human Development and Family Studies, sponsored by the USDA National Research Initiative
Type:
Telephone survey
Size:
950 completed interviews
Description:
Research effort to study housing issues and needs experienced by small upper Midwestern communities.

Economic Research

Surveys for E-Government Policy Research

Client:
ISU Department of Political Science, sponsored by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services and the IOWAccess Council
Type:
RDD and list sample telephone interviews
Size:
825 completed interviews
Description:
Two-stage study designed to provide input to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services and the IOWAccess Council on the types of transactions with state agencies that Iowa businesses and citizens would like to conduct over the Internet.

Economic Research

Farmland Ownership Patterns in Iowa

Client:
Various clients, including Iowa State University Center for International Agriculture and Finance
Type:
Telephone interviews with owners of Iowa farm land
Size:
The last five projects tracked 1000 parcels of Iowa farmland at 5-year intervals.
Description:
Multiple land ownership studies conducted by CSSM over the past 50 years that identify characteristics of agricultural land owners, methods of farmland acquisition, and land management.

Economic Research

Joint USA/UK Business Innovation Benchmarking Survey

Client:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology & Cambridge University (United Kingdom) Centre for Business Research
Type:
List sample telephone survey
Size:
1500 completed
Description:
International study with high-level business executives regarding innovation and technology. Study designed to establish benchmark data that can be used to evaluate the impact of innovation in both high and low technology manufacturing and service businesses.

Economic Research

Temperature-Controlled Logistics: An Industry Analysis

Client:
Researchers at Iowa State University, Ohio State University and C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.
Type:
Telephone interviews with follow-up mail questionnaires
Size:
Over 200 interviews completed
Description:
Mixed mode survey of shippers and carriers designed to facilitate improvements in temperature controlled logistics performance by assessing the current status of management and anticipating trends

Economic Research

Family-Owned Businesses in the U.S.

Client:
A consortium of researchers from ISU's College of Family and Consumer Science and 16 other universities in the U.S. and Canada.
Type:
National telephone study with white pages screening and multiple interviews per household
Size:
14,000 telephone numbers screened; over 1600 interviews
Description:
Study of the prevalence and characteristics of family owned businesses. Interviews conducted in 1997 & 2000 with both the business owner/manager and the individual responsible for managing the household.
http://www.sba.muohio.edu/pagecenter/
jde/volume5-2-2000.htm#1
http://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/
fambus/natlstudy.htm

Economic Research

Study of Small Businesses in the U.S.

Client:
Researchers at Iowa State University, sponsored by U.S. Dept of Agriculture National Research Initiative
Type:
Telephone interviews with list sample of small business owners, with mail questionnaire follow-up
Size:
800 telephone interviews, 500 mail questionnaires
Description:
Mixed mode survey of owners and managers of small businesses to learn what they are doing to develop and maintain viability within their communities.

Economic Research

Employee Financial Well-Being

Client:
Researchers from ISU Cooperative Extension
Type:
Mail surveys
Size:
3900 completed
Description:
Mail study of employees of a large national insurance firm to evaluate the effects of participation in financial education programs and satisfaction with employee benefits.

Economic Research

Iowa Wage and Salary Survey

Client:
Iowa Workforce Development
Type:
Telephone interviews with prior non-respondents
Size:
Over 1200 completed interviews
Description:
Telephone follow-up study to increase the response rate of an annual mail survey designed to gather wage and salary information from Iowa businesses.

Economic Research

Top

Education Research

Top

A Survey of Iowa State University Community College Transfer Students

Client:
Iowa State University Department of Education Leadership and Policy Studies, sponsored by the ISU Division of Student Affairs and Office of Enrollment Services
Type:
Web survey
Size:
Over 225 completed
Description:
Project designed to learn how well Iowa State University and Iowa community colleges are meeting the needs of transfer students.

Education Research

National Financial Planning Program Evaluation Survey

Client:
University of Minnesota and the National Endowment for Financial Education
Type:
Mail survey
Size:
5500 surveys completed by teachers and students
Description:
Research designed to evaluate the High School Financial Planning Program developed and distributed by the National Endowment for Financial Education in an effort to keep the curriculum practical, usable, current, and effective.

Education Research

Iowa Department of Education High School Senior Exit Survey

Client:
Iowa Department of Education Education
Type:
Mixed mode telephone and self-administered surveys
Size:
6000 completed
Description:
Development of annual study of Iowa high school seniors and recent graduates that focuses on the transition from high school to life after graduation. Services provided include study/sample/questionnaire design consultation, data file preparation, and report preparation.

Education Research

 

Health Research

Top

Study of Assistive Technology Needs in Iowa

Client:
Iowa State University Disability Resources and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Type:
Mail survey
Size:
110 completed
Description:
Mail survey with Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors to identify needs and provide information regarding the functions of a potential assistive technology center at Iowa State University.

Health Research

Epidemiology and Genetics of Parkinson's Disease

Client:
Mayo Clinic
Type:
Random digit dial telephone screening to locate control respondents
Size:
Over 1200 controls located
Description:
A case/control study designed to learn more about the causes of Parkinson's Disease & other neurological diseases.

Health Research

Physical Activity Self-Report Study

Client:
Iowa State University's Department of Health and Human Performance, sponsored by the US Centers for Disease Control
Type:
Telephone survey
Size:
Over 800 completed interviews
Description:
Validation study designed to learn about the accuracy of parent and child interviews and activity reporting conducted for the VERB media campaign. Interviews with children and their parents were conducted before and after the children wore activity monitors for one week.

Health Research

Community Influences in Rural Adolescent Alcohol Use

Client:
Calvin College, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health
Type:
Telephone and self-administered survey
Size:
Over 2200 surveys completed
Description:
Two phase study designed to assess the relationship between patterns of alcohol use among young adolescents and their most rural communities. Self-administered surveys were given to students. Telephone interviews were conducted with parents, teachers and community members.

Health Research

Clinic in Every Home

Client:
Iowa Department of Public Health, University of Iowa, and Iowa State University
Type:
Focus groups, conducted with Iowa health care providers and consumers and general population telephone surveys of Iowa health consumers
Size:
600
Description:
Focus group sessions designed to obtain feedback on proposed medical technological developments and applications of telemedicine within the state of Iowa. http://telemed.medicine.uiowa.edu/

Health Research

University of Nebraska Medical Center Cancer Research Study

Client:
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Type:
Random digit dial telephone screening to locate control respondents
Size:
420 controls ages 20-64 selected over two-year period (in progress)
Description:
Health research study to determine the relationship between diet/lifestyle and cancer risks

Health Research

University of Maryland Stroke Risk Studies

Client:
University of Maryland Stroke Center
Type:
Random digit dial telephone screening to locate control respondents
Size:
240 female controls, 550 male controls
Description:
Multi-year case/control studies to examine the risk factors for early onset of stroke in women (study completed) and in men (in progress).

Health Research

Study of Voice Disorders in Teachers and the General Population

Client:
The University of Iowa, the University of Utah, and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders
Type:
Telephone interviews with a list sample of teachers and matched controls selected using random digit dialing
Size:
Over 2500 completed interviews
Description:
Two-year project to study the effect of work history and lifestyle on the prevalence and severity of voice disorders among adults.

Health Research

Assessment of Student Alcohol Use

Client:
Iowa State University Student Health Center
Type:
Telephone interviews with list sample of Iowa State University students
Size:
500 interviews
Description:
Project designed to study the extent and nature of alcohol use among ISU students.

Health Research

Birth Defects Risk Factor Surveillance Study

Client:
The University of Iowa College of Medicine and the State Health Registry of Iowa, part of a nationwide study sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
Type:
One-hour telephone interviews with Iowa list sample
Size:
Nearly 700 mothers interviewed
Description:
Case/control study, designed to identify the causes of specific multiple birth defects among children born in Iowa, gathering extensive pregnancy and genetic history and including health issues such as drug/alcohol use and environmental exposures. http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/
birthdefects/research.html

Health Research

A Study of Physical Activity and Nutritional Experiences of Ames Area Residents

Client:
Iowa State University Department of Health & Human Performance, Iowa Department of Public Health, McFarland Clinic
Type:
Telephone interviews with a list sample of participants in a community wellness program and matched controls selected using random digit dialing
Size:
Over 500 interviews completed
Description:
Study conducted to measure the effects of the '5 + 5 Challenge Program', which encouraged people to implement dietary changes and increase their physical activity.

Health Research

Health Assessment for Persian Gulf War Veterans

Client:
The University of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Public Health, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Type:
Telephone study with list sample of Persian Gulf War era veterans
Size:

3,700 interviews completed

Description:
Case/control telephone study conducted internationally, addressing issues such as hazardous exposures and experiences as well as symptomatic physical/emotional health.
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/160/8/1169

Health Research

Southeastern Minnesota Women's Health Project

Client:
Mayo Clinic Health Science Research Division
Type:
Telephone interviews conducted with women selected from random digit dialing (RDD) sample.
Size:
Four-year study with 2000 interviews
Description:
Case/control study to evaluate the effectiveness of a Mayo Clinic intervention program, which promoted cancer prevention and early detection screenings among women.

Health Research

Children's Language

Client:
University of Iowa Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology
Type:
Telephone interviews with parents of young children
Size:
Approximately 1200 interviews conducted over a four year period
Description:
Interviews conducted with mothers and fathers of kindergarten children as part of a larger study to investigate environmental and genetic influences on language impairment in young children.

Health Research

Iowa Substance Use and Flood Disaster Study

Client:
Iowa Department of Public Health and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, in conjunction with the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.
Type:
RDD screening with telephone interviews. Field interviews with an area sample.
Size:
1000 initial interviews, 900 post-flood telephone interviews, 150 post-flood field interviews.
Description:
Substance Use project respondents were interviewed again to evaluate the impact of the 1993 flooding and field interviews were conducted in heavily damaged regions.

Health Research

Top

Social Research

Top

Technology and Citizenship

Client:
Iowa State University Research Institute for Studies in Education and Drake University
Type:
Random digit dial telephone study
Size:
475 completed interviews
Description:
Study designed to learn how the use of computers, particularly email and the Internet, might encourage involvement in basic responsibilities as US citizens.

Social Research

Community Housing Study

Client:
Iowa State University Department of Human Development and Family Studies, sponsored by the USDA National Research Initiative
Type:
Telephone survey
Size:
950 completed interviews
Description:
Research effort to study housing issues and needs experienced by small upper Midwestern communities.

Social Research

Surveys for E-Government Policy Research

Client:
ISU Department of Political Science, sponsored by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services and the IOWAccess Council
Type:
RDD and list sample telephone interviews
Size:
825 completed interviews
Description:
Two-stage study designed to provide input to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services and the IOWAccess Council on the types of transactions with state agencies that Iowa businesses and citizens would like to conduct over the Internet.

Social Research

Community Influences in Rural Adolescent Alcohol Use

Client:
Calvin College, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health
Type:
Telephone and self-administered survey
Size:
Over 2200 surveys completed
Description:
Two phase study designed to assess the relationship between patterns of alcohol use among young adolescents and their most rural communities. Self-administered surveys were given to students. Telephone interviews were conducted with parents, teachers and community members.

Social Research

The Young Driver Study

Client:
Iowa Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau
Type:
List sample telephone survey
Size:
275 completed
Description:
Study designed to identify driving practices and attitudes among young Iowa drivers 18 to 25 years old.

Social Research

Family-Owned Businesses in the U.S.

Client:
A consortium of researchers from ISU's College of Family and Consumer Science and 16 other universities in the U.S. and Canada.
Type:
National telephone study with white pages screening and multiple interviews per household
Size:
14,000 telephone numbers screened; over 1600 interviews.
Description:
Study of the prevalence and characteristics of family owned businesses. Interviews conducted in 1997 & 2000 with both the business owner/manager and the individual responsible for managing the household.
http://www.sba.muohio.edu/pagecenter/
jde/volume5-2-2000.htm#1
http://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/
fambus/natlstudy.htm

Social Research

Study of Small Businesses in the U.S.

Client:
Researchers at Iowa State University, sponsored by U.S. Dept of Agriculture National Research Initiative
Type:
Telephone interviews with list sample of small business owners, with mail questionnaire follow-up
Size:
800 telephone interviews, 500 mail questionnaires
Description:
Mixed mode survey of owners and managers of small businesses in 2000 to learn what they are doing to develop and maintain viability within their communities.

Social Research

Assessment of Student Alcohol Use

Client:
Iowa State University Student Health Center
Type:
Telephone interviews with list sample of Iowa State University students
Size:
500 interviews
Description:
Project designed to study the extent and nature of alcohol use among ISU students.

Social Research

Iowa Substance Use and Flood Disaster Study

Client:
Iowa Department of Public Health and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, in conjunction with the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.
Type:
RDD screening with telephone interviews. Field interviews with an area sample.
Size:
1000 initial interviews, 900 post-flood telephone interviews, 150 post-flood field interviews.
Description:
Substance Use project respondents were interviewed again to evaluate the impact of the 1993 flooding and field interviews were conducted in heavily damaged regions.

Social Research

Top

Welfare Research

Top

Transportation as a Barrier to Economic Self-Sufficiency in Iowa

Client:
Researchers from ISU Departments of Human Development & Family Studies, Economics, and Statistics
Type:
Telephone study in Iowa with list sample of welfare recipients and RDD sample of the general population, including field follow-up of list sample
Size:
Over 750 interviews completed
Description:
Study conducted in five Iowa counties to assess transportation barriers to employment in urban and rural areas, with special emphasis on low-income households.

Welfare Research

Well-Being of Iowa Food Stamp Program Participants

Client:
Researchers from ISU Departments of Human Development & Family Studies, Economics, and Statistics
Type:
List sample telephone study in Iowa
Size:
Interviews conducted with over 700 individuals
Description:
Study of the experiences of current and former participants in the Iowa Food Stamp Program during recent changes in the welfare system, with an emphasis on able-bodied adults without dependents.

Welfare Research

Top

Contact:
Jan Larson, Manager and Client Liaison
216C Snedecor Hall, Ames, IA 50011
Phone: 515-294-3451 / Fax: 515-294-2456 / e-mail: jmlarson@iastate.edu

Survey Research Services

Services

· Research consultation
· Sampling
· Survey design

Survey modes:
· Telephone
· In-person
· Mail
· Web
· Focus groups

· Data processing
· Quality control

Selected projects

Staff

Links

Iowa State University
 
 
 

Copyright 2002-2005, Iowa State University, all rights reserved
URL: http://cssm.iastate.edu/surveyresearch/projects.html