Trinity College Internet Survey - Essay Example

The internet survey chosen for this paper revolves around an issue that has long been a concern of many societies – smoking. Attitudes towards smoking, smoking habits, and other aspects have been researched through various surveys for the purposes of social work, regulation, healthcare, and even marketing (e.g. cigarette brands). The current survey is aimed to study the attitude towards smoking and smoking habits of the restricted community of the Trinity College students, i.e. the audience of the survey isn’t wide, being limited to the members of the Trinity student community. Therefore, students of this particular educational institution are meant to be participants in the survey. The latter is evidently meant to provide a fuller view of the situation with smoking and smokers within the campus and probably serve as a helping tool in the reformation of the smoking regulation policy there. The survey consists of 14 questions of different types, including multiple-choice questions, yes-no questions, and free-answer questions. While some questions are not compulsory for answering, others require the answer (which is marked by an asterisk).

*1. Have you ever smoked cigarettes?

This general compulsory question serves as the basis for further parts of the questionnaire.  It is rather precise and unbiased, with no confusing words.

2. If yes, please indicate what type of smoker you would classify yourself as:

The question implies multiple choice: the recipient is expected to choose an option. However, it is somewhat double-barreled, for it is not quite clear whether the participant is to choose one or more variants (regular smoker, occasional smoker, social smoker). Moreover, the flaw of the question lies in the fact that it doesn’t consider the possibility that the participant has already quit smoking.

3. If you are a regular smoker, how many cigarettes a day do you smoke?

Being a logical continuation of the previous question, this one is aimed at obtaining further information from the participants, who have chosen the option ‘regular smoker’. The variety of answers eliminates any double-barreled implications or confusion while answering this question, for the options are quite clear.

4. If you are a regular smoker, what time of day do you usually have your first cigarette?

The question is free-answer, offering a blank for a respondent (who has chosen the first option in question 2) to fill in. Confusion words, ambiguousness, and double negatives are absent.

5. If you are a random or social smoker, how many cigarettes per week would you estimate you smoke?

The question is unbiased and clear, intended for the participants, who have chosen variants 2 or 3 in question 2. There are no double negatives or ambiguities.

6. Are you a former smoker?

A yes-no question, which should have been included in question 2 in order to rationalize the survey structure, therefore, there are ordering issues in this aspect.

*7. Do you think that there should be very specific outside areas on campus where smoking is allowed and banned everywhere else?

Here, we see the survey being narrowed down to the issue directly related to the policy of the campus. The question is unbiased, with no double negations or ambiguity, though “very specific areas” is a rather confusing phrase.

*8. Have you found smoking of any substance in your dorm to occur:

The question implies multiple choice out of four options. However, there is a certain bias that might raise ethical concerns, for answering this compulsory question presupposes giving information about other people rather than about the respondent him/herself. Moreover, the word ‘substances’ might be confusing, for it isn’t clear what is meant by it.

*9. Would you define violating the current no-smoking policy in your dorm as:

In this multiple-choice question, certain bias is observed. However, there are no double negatives, ambiguities, confusing words, or ordering issues.

10. In your opinion, what should the consequence be if found smoking in your dorm?

In this step of the survey completion, the respondent is offered a free-answer question, implying no double negatives, confusing words, ambiguities, or ordering issues. However, the question is biased, for the response might be non-objective according to the habits and views of the participant.

*11. Do you consider smoking marijuana as compared to regular cigarettes:

This compulsory question is obviously aimed at testing the level of education of the students in terms of the effect smoking might produce. There is a clear multiple-choice with no ambiguities.

*12. Are you aware of the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes and taking birth control pills concurrently?

This part seems to be more focused on female respondents, implying the yes-no option and aiming at testing the level of awareness among the students. The question is rather clearly stated.

13. If the health center at Trinity were to offer tools to help you quit smoking, would you utilize them?

There are no ambiguities, ordering issues, bias, or confusing words in this question, there is just a clearly stated hypothetical offer to use the health center’s assistance with the yes-no options. Moreover, the question is aimed at smokers.

14. Please provide any general comments you might have regarding smoking in our community. Thanks for your time.

The free-answer question requests the respondent’s opinion on the survey, a clear statement.