Face to face surveys

We have one of the largest face-to-face field forces in Scotland with over 150 experienced interviewers working for us. Across the entire UK and Republic of Ireland, our field force comprises around 1,700 interviewers. This means that we have the capacity to undertake fieldwork across all parts of the UK and Ireland, including the Scottish islands.

Unlike some other agencies, Ipsos MORI only uses experienced interviewers who work regularly for us (i.e. they are not recruited on an ad hoc basis for individual surveys). This is the only way to maintain high fieldwork standards. All our interviewers receive a minimum of 18 hours training – 12 in the classroom and six in field – which includes full personal training in the use of CAPI (computer assisted personal interviewing).

Our field force is overseen by a team of full-time local regional coordinators – not from a central office with no understanding of local conditions – and field managers. As well as providing support to our interviewers, the team ensures that fieldwork is conducted in line with our stringent quality procedures.

We specialise in both random pre-selected and quota surveys. In Scotland, our expertise of the former is exemplified by the fact that we deliver two major continuous surveys – the Scottish Household Survey and the Scottish House Condition Survey – on behalf of the Scottish Government. Our credentials in conducting quota surveys include: the Scottish Environmental Attitudes Survey, the Glasgow Household Survey and asurvey of trunk road users on their perceptions of transport infrastructure in Scotland.

We use CAPI as standard on all face-to-face in-home surveys. This approach brings a number of benefits: 

• routing and error checking are written into the survey script improving the quality of survey data
• there is the possibility of shortening the length of a survey without deleting questions, by asking some questions of a randomly selected segment of the sample only. We have successfully adopted this approach on several studies, including the Scottish Household Survey
• different versions of the same question can be scripted and routed to reflect respondents’ personal circumstances
• the script can incorporate images and video clips making it possible to test, for example, perceptions of advertising or marketing campaigns
• potentially sensitive questions can be asked via CASI (computer assisted self interviewing). We have used this approach on a number of studies, including the National Scottish Survey of Attitudes to Mental Health (to assess respondents’ mental health and wellbeing) and the Scottish Environmental Attitudes and Behaviour Survey (to explore attitudes towards ‘green’ behaviours).