Surveys / Lists Processing

Data processing needed to translate the answers on a questionnaire into a form that can be manipulated to produce statistics. This involves coding, editing, data entry, and monitoring the whole data processing procedure. The main aim of checking the various stages of data processing is to produce a file of data that is as error free as possible.

Functions involved in processing surveys include: imaging of completed surveys; data capture and coding; and editing

• Survey Scanning Services: Our advanced data capture system allows us to process paper surveys through scanning services that use advanced OMR (Optical Mark Recognition), OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and ICR (Intelligent Character Recognition) techniques.
• Survey Data Entry Services: In many cases, manual data entry is the most effective way to collect data from surveys. Our professional data entry operators are fast and we offer high accuracy rates. We offer output formats for a variety of software packages.
• Comment Coding and Entry: Valuable sources of information from surveys are open-ended comments. We can develop response coding categories plus train our coding staff on any industry specific terms in order to get the most from your open-ended survey comments.
• Statistical Reporting: Our experienced staff is here to help with presentation quality reports including frequency analysis, cross tabulations, etc.

Unless all the questions on a questionnaire are "closed" questions, some degree of coding is required before the survey data can be inputted. Often the answers are handwritten, which have to be keyed before they can be inputted into the system. Most surveys are too large and complex to be analyzed by checking questionnaires and counting responses. Surveys usually require a system by which the responses can be transferred onto a computer file for analysis. This system would involve translating responses from "closed" questions into numerical codes.

Coding consists of labeling the responses to questions in a unique and abbreviated (using numerical codes) way in order to facilitate data entry and manipulation. The advantage of coding is the simplistic storage of data as a few-digit code, compared to lengthy alphabetical descriptions which almost certainly will not be easy to categorize.