| Abstract: | Many studies in geography and other disciplines require data to be collected from human subjects. Survey techniques are routinely employed but as expense and time impose powerful constraints there is much interest in methods of making the data collection process as efficient as possible, particularly when the numbers of subjects involved are large. The surveys described here were conducted to collect data for a study of residential water use in Melbourne. A previous analysis of demographic. physical and economic data (Aitken et al., 1991) had revealed the need for additional data to be used in explaining variability in residential water consumption. A theoretical basis was established for the relevance of attitudes, habits and values to water use, and a survey was planned with the primary aim of measuring these psychological constructs. It was conducted in early 1991. and the water consumption of participating households was recorded over winter of that year. The survey instrument also targeted demographic and physical data relevant to water use in the home. Dillman's Total Design Method (TDM — Dillman, 1978) offers an integrated and detailed methodology for survey design. and it was from the TDM that most of the methods for these surveys were derived. The elements of Dillman's methodology most relevant to these surveys are those concerning the presentation of the questionnaire package and its distribution. |
