Getting Your Research Project Started

• What is the purpose and/or objective of your study?
• Who is your audience?
• What information will the study provide?
• Is there existing research that can be adapted to my situation?
• What decisions will be made as a result of this study?
• What metrics do you have in place against which to measure the survey results?
• What can I ask so that the findings are actionable?

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1. Contact the IEEE Strategic Research and Planning team.
2. Complete the Research Request form, which will walk you through the important preliminary questions, such as the following:
   1. Identify the key business decisions to be made, based on the results of the research.
   2. Identify the group(s) to be surveyed.
   3. Determine timeline for research.
3. Determine research method (see Research Services and Research Methods), schedule, and budget.
4. Determine the sample size and sample selection procedure (see Sample Size).
5. Design, pretest, and implement survey.
6. Analyze data, interpret results, form recommendations, prepare, and distribute final report.

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• Avoid too many open-ended questions.
• Don't ask questions for the sake of asking them. Results from questions should be actionable.
• Keep surveys as short as possible without sacrificing your information needs.
• Keep questions neutral. Do not lead a respondent to answer a certain way.
• Design the survey so that the questions are clear and easy for the participant to answer.
• Keep response categories balanced. Have an equal number of positive and negative selections.
• Do not force respondents to answer a question unless it is critical to the survey. Include response choices such as "No Opinion," "Not Applicable," "Don't Know," etc.
• Do not offend the survey participant.

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• Review research findings
• Review a list of active research projects
• Contact the IEEE Strategic Research and Planning team