Survey methodology

Summer 2024

A century of WSU sociology

Gang dynamics, effective surveys, rural communities, families, environmental issues—Washington State University’s sociology department explored these societal topics and many others over the last 100 years. The department always kept an eye on the university’s mission to connect research with people and communities across the state.

Fred Yoder was appointed as the first sociologist at Washington State College in 1920 and became the chair of the Sociology Department in 1928. Since then, the department has been a national and international leader in sociological research and undergraduate and graduate education. Many students have gone on to successful careers as academic sociologists, … » More …

Winter 2017

Going postal

While digital communication has made a lot of things easier—like video calling someone on the other side of the world—it has made collecting public opinion and behavior data more challenging.

Government agencies rely on that data from censuses, public opinion, and behavior surveys to make extensive policy and financial decisions that impact quality of life, such as healthcare measures that curb smoking.

Don Dillman, a Washington State University Regents Professor in sociology and internationally renowned survey methodologist, has dedicated his career to improving the design of surveys to collect that information.

When he started his career in the 1970s, he had to worry about … » More …