Question
Question Type
Expected Value
Min.
Max.
1. Is it likely that other life forms exist in our galaxy?
Binomial
.5
n/a
n/a
2. Do you keep up with space exploration events, via television, internet or other sources?
Binomial
.5
n/a
n/a
3. Do you go to church or attend religious services?
Binomial
.5
n/a
n/a
4. Are you a college graduate?
Binomial
.5
n/a
n/a
5. Why do you/don’t you believe that aliens could possibly exist?
Continuous
Religion
6. How does the possibility of alien existence make you feel?
Continuous
Target Population:
The target population is people of all ages, young to old. People who have college degrees as well as those who haven’t finished high school would qualify for this survey. They could be working professionals or low wage workers. Lastly, they may or may not be very familiar with space exploration events. Pretty much, everyone who is human and has had exposure to media or education can qualify for this survey. Anyone who has ever heard or watched a movie about aliens would qualify.
Everyone should be included in this study because everyone on this planet could be affected by the discovery of other life forms in our galaxy. Since everyone could be affected, then everyone should consider the possibility of aliens. If necessary, everyone on the planet should be prepared to meet aliens one day. There is no one who doesn’t qualify to voice their opinion on this matter.
Sampling Strategy:
Since this survey qualifies all of the human race, I’ve decided random sampling will be the easiest and most time efficient method. Hopefully, through a random sample, I can reach people of different ethnicities, educational backgrounds, religious beliefs and ages. Coordinating any other type of survey would take too much time and money. Also, it would require multiple samples from various groups. Time would have to be taken to identify and label groups as well as the samples taken from those groups. One would have just as likely a chance at an effective statistic using random data. More specifically, soliciting anyone who may or may not be interested in this survey; soliciting anyone without any kind of methodology or way of selecting people for the survey.
If the strategy isn’t right, then the results could be disproportionate to what the general population might think about the possibility of alien life. Since everyone can qualify for this survey, if I survey too many of one kind of person (of same background, education or ethnicity), then the results won’t be a good representative. At the same time, if I can’t get many different types of people to answer the survey, then I might have to re target the sample to whatever group I had the most access to. For example, if I only had access to people living in my town who were between ages of 15-60; then my survey would declare that so many people in my home town believe/don’t believe in aliens.
Survey Questions:
These questions are the best questions because they stick to the matter without any reference to bias. Also, these questions aren’t written with any bias; they use plain language so as not to influence survey takers. The answers allow for people to state plainly and without bias or other influence if they believe in aliens, don’t believe or are not sure. Lastly, the questions incorporated are those that are always associated with the topic of aliens: education, religion and personal interest in the matter of aliens. These three things are purported to influence people’s beliefs in aliens.