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The use of diary survey techniques: the rural studies case
Geoforum, Vol. 13. No. 3, pp. 25-256, Printed in Great Britain.
1982.
lN16-71l35/82/0.3%251-06 W3.OU/O @ 1982 Pergamon Press Ltd
The Use of Diary Survey Techniques: the Rural Studies Case
G. EDWARDS
and D. SHAW,* Lampeter,
U.K.
Abstract: The use of diary techniques in social surveys has been discouraged because of the difficulties which have often been associated with their implementation and the analysis of the results. This paper argues that given the use of proper safeguards, diary techniques may be employed to provide high quality data for behavioural analysis, particularly in rural studies. This view is supported by an examination of two case studies where a diary technique was successfully used. Introduction
(2) The failure of respondents to complete the diary correctly is often cited as a major problem. Misunderstandings due to the diary’s complexity are thought to lead to the respondents giving the wrong information or even failing to provide the information asked for.
The behaviour of a rural population in relation to its social, economic and physical environments is central to the provision of both public and private sector services and as such is often the focal point of rural studies. The diary survey technique, with its ability to record the respondents’ activities over a defined period of time, appears well equipped to encapsulate that behaviour and provide data of a high standard for analysis and subsequent policy formulation. As OPPENHIEM (1966, p. 216) states, “The diary technique, used with proper safeguards, can yield results that are probably nearest to the ‘true’ frequency for a given period”. It is perhaps surprising, therefore, that the diary technique has not been more commonly employed within social surveys in general and rural studies in particular. The problems of expense, design and analysis often associated with the technique have severely inhibited its use other than in surveys where no feasible alternative existed. The following problems have been particularly noted by commentators (OPPENHIEM, 1966; HOINVILLE et al., 1978).
(3) It is thought difficult to sustain the motivation of a respondent to fill in a diary over a period of time. (4) It has been suggested that the interest of the respondents in completing the diary will cause them to modify their behaviour as they become more aware of their activities. For example, the awareness of a respondent that he is making use of his car for very short journeys, as a result of filling in trip details in a diary, may persuade him to walk when making these trips for reasons of health and economy. (5) The flexibility associated with diaries makes the information recorded difficult to analyse; in particular, the absence of a strict coding practice makes the arrangement of the resultant data more laborious.
(1) As the filling in of a diary over a set period requires a greater commitment on the part of the respondent, refusal rates are likely to be higher than for conventional questionnaire surveys. *Department of Geography, Saint David’s Lampeter, Dyfed, U.K.
University
Consequently, there has been a reluctance to use diaries in social surveys, but Oppenhiem’s reference to ‘proper safeguards’ assumes that the techniques can be used successfully to provide data of a high quality. This has been illustrated by two rural
College,
251
GeoforumiVolume 13 Number 311982
252 studies of differing emphases undertaken David’s University College, Lampeter.
Minor Rural Roads: a Transport
at Saint
Survey
The purpose
of the diary technique in a study of minor rural roads in Wales was to provide information on the travel patterns generated within three case study areas. The household was used as the basic unit of the survey. It was hoped that the data collected through the diaries would allow the reconstruction of traffic movements in the three areas in order that their relationship to road damage could be assessed. The diaries were completed simultaneously by the sample population of the case study areas during the seven days commencing 17 August 1981, and were used in conjunction with a socio-economic questionnaire. The entire survey consisted of three phases: (a) a preparation phase; (b) a socio-economic questionnaire; and (c) a travel diary. The preparation phase of the survey was an important prelude to the more direct final two phases of the operation and was intended to introduce the potential respondents to the survey and its requirements. This was achieved by the delivery of introductory letters, the use of local newspapers and the establishment of contacts within the communities concerned. By establishing an initial rapport with the local population through this preparation stage it was hoped that a favourable community spirit would be established, thereby increasing the likelihood of a completed diary response. The questionnaire phase required a number of interviewers to contact each unit of activity within the case study areas to ascertain the socio-economic conditions at each location. In order to cover the range of rural activities, the questionnaire was sub-divided into three sections: a household survey; an agricultural survey; and a business survey. However, these sections were not mutually exclusive as any unit of activity could qualify for more than one section. For example, a farm is both an agricultural and household unit and may even have a business function as well. At the end of each interview the respondent was introduced to the third most important phase of the survey, the travel diary. The interviewer explained the purpose and requirements of this phase and then proceeded to show the respondents how to provide the correct information. The diary was left for the respondents to complete for the seven-day period, after which it was collected by the
interviewer, who then dealt with any problems that had arisen during the survey. The diary itself was in two sections: first, a record of trips made by the respondent, the respondent’s household and the respondent’s employees (if any); and second, a record of trips made by visitors or delivery agents to the house/farm/business concerned. The details required by both sections included the date of travel, the purpose of travel, the mode of transport involved and the starting and finishing points of the journeys. Within the survey certain steps were taken to counteract the problems associated with the diary technique noted earlier. The problem of nonresponse to the diary was alleviated by two actions. First, respondents were encouraged to complete the diary by the interviewer using the personal contact arising out of the socio-economic survey. By establishing a favourable rapport with the respondents it was hoped that this would lead to a feeling of commitment on behalf of the survey population. At the same time it was felt necessary to involve the respondent in the overall study by providing information on its aims and methodology (through both the preparation phase and contact with the interviewer), thereby stimulating the desire to respond to the challenge of the project as a whole. The second device to overcome the problem of nonresponse involved the design of the travel diary. This was made as simple and convenient as possible, to allow the information to be recorded with little effort and in a short period of time. The diaries were also attractive in design and easily understood. Assurances of the confidentiality of the information provided were given and references to personal or financial details were carefully avoided. One important aspect of the diary’s design was its bilingual nature as two of the case study areas contained a high proportion of Welsh speakers. The quality of the data collected depended very heavily upon the diaries being completed correctly. To facilitate this, clear and concise instructions were given in the diary and a number of examples of how to correctly complete each section were given. The interviewer reinforced these measures by going through the instructions and examples with the respondents when the travel diary was initially distributed and by answering any problems when it was collected. By making enquiries as to how the respondents were coping during the seven-day survey period, it
GeoforumlVolume
253
13 Number 311982
the diary technique has weaknesses as a survey method, the availability of safeguards and its suitability for the Minor Rural Roads Study encouraged its adoption and successful implementation.
was hoped to avoid the possible decrease in the information gathered as the survey progressed due to a loss of motivation on behalf of the respondents. At the same time, advice on how to organise the completion of the diary was given and, in particular, respondents were encouraged to establish the habit of filling in the diary at a set time and place each day. As a result of these precautions it was hoped that the data provided by the diary technique would be of a high quality.
Table 1 reveals a very satisfactory response rate to the diary, although the rate was not quite as high as that of the conventional questionnaire. This discrepancy was almost entirely due to respondents accepting the diary but then neglecting to complete or only partially completing the records required, rather than respondents refusing the diary outright. This confirms the difficulties in using a diary technique discussed above, but, nevertheless, there was a favourable response rate to the diary and it provided data which would have been unattainable by any other survey technique.
At the same time, the criticism that the diary technique may modify by its existence the behaviour it was supposed to be recording seemed to be largely unfounded in this particular study. It was found that the number of trips made by the respondents was normally very regular and revolved around the set daily patterns of behaviour of the individuals involved. Consequently, it was felt unlikely that the trip characteristics of the respondents were modified by the presence of the diary. However, for diary surveys of longer than seven days duration, it is conceivable that the problems of motivation and modification of a respondent’s behaviour pattern would come more and more to the fore.
The quality of those data was established by calculating the standard error of the sample and the concomitant 68,95 and 99% confidence limits for a number of variables in the data set. Thus, by calculating these confidence limits and comparing them with the sample mean and standard deviation, the accuracy of the data in reflecting the properties of the survey population was assessed (Table 2). It is evident that the values for the 99% confidence limit are small in comparison with the mean and well within one standard deviation of the sample data. Thus it is possible to say with a high level of confidence that the data collected by the diary sur-
Finally, the difficulties in coding and analysing the data collected by the diaries were not insurmountable, although a little more time-consuming than for conventional questionnaire surveys. Thus, although
Table 1. Response rates to the travel diary and its accompanying questionnaire
Area
Total survey population
: 3 Total
101 96 109 306
Number of respondents Questionaire (%) Diary (%)
73 83 (82.1) (76.0) 94 (86.2) 250 (81.6)
61 (60.3) 69 (61.4) 77 (70.6) 197 (64.3)
Table 2. The standard error and confidence limits for three main variables within the diary survey data
Variable
Mean
Standard deviation
Total trips Trips generated Trips attracted
46.47 30.23 15.92
19.90 16.69 7.66
Standard error 2.45 2.06 0.94
68%
Limits of confidence 95%
99%
52.45 k2.06 f0.94
f4.90 k4.12 f1.88
-17.35 f6.18 rt2.82
GeoforumNolume 13 Number 3/1982 vey accurately reflected the properties of the survey population. This optimism is reinforced by an examination of those units which responded to the questionnaire but did not complete the diary. Table 3 reveals that there was no significant bias towards any group in the number of those who did not complete the diary. Table 3. Category of those units of activity that did not
respond to the diary
Area Farms 1 2 3
Small Retired holding householder
5 4 3
6 2 2
Family households Totals 6 4 8
5 4 4
22 14 17
Table 4. Estimated and observed traffic flows (vehicles
per day) in the three case study areas Area 1
Location A :
D E 2
Observed
% difference
557 313 102 133 48
569 306 97 141 50
-2.2 +2.2 +4.9 -6.0 -4.2
326 228 48
-4.6 -3.5 0.0 -4.1 +5.5 -3.5 +3.1 +2.1 -5.7 -1.3
D E
294 73
341 236 48 306 69
A B
316 32 281 88 234
327 31 275 93 237
A B C
3
Estimated
C
D E
Furthermore, the data collected by the diary allowed the accurate reconstruction of traffic patterns in the three case studies considered. In each of the case study areas automatic traffic counts were undertaken at five points in the road network during the survey week. Consequently it was possible to compare these observed traffic flow figures with the estimated figures for the five points in each network derived from the diary survey data (Table 4). The results reveal that the estimated traffic flows generally lie between plus or minus 5% of the observed flows and thus the data provided for a realistic representation of traffic conditions in the
case study areas. Thus the diary technique drew a high response rate from each category of respondents in each of the three areas and provided data of sufficient quantity and quality for the specific requirements of a traffic modelling exercise. However, the results achieved would imply that a wider use of the technique within social surveys may be justified, as is seen in the second study at Saint David’s University College which employed the technique.
Rural Settlement Planning in Norfolk: a Survey of Village Service Centres
In this example a diary questionnaire methodology was used in an attempt to assess the role that ‘service centres’ play within the rural planning strategy for Norfolk. By taking into account both the existing policy documentation and the particular problems facing the county, the county council proposed a policy aimed broadly at maintaining rural communities and widening rural opportunities (NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL, 1980). Outside the three major towns of the area, growth, particularly in terms of employment, was to be channelled primarily towards six ‘growth towns’ and to a lesser extent towards thirteen smaller local centres named in the Structure Plan. Below these in the settlement hierarchy a number of villages were identified as service centres. It was these smaller selected centres that were to be the focus of attention. These service centres were to be large enough to support a range of facilities which were to serve their existing and planned population and that of the surrounding villages. It was as part of the attempt to assess whether these selected settlements acted as local centres that a diary survey technique was utilised. In all a total of eleven villages were selected for closer scrutiny. These included three service centres and their surrounding villages. A diary survey was designed to assess how much use households made of the facilities in the local ‘service centres’ in comparison to their use of the facilities provided by their own village and the local market town. Information was gathered on a household basis for all journeys that members of the household made during a continuous seven-day period. The information could then be used to analyse the location and types of facilities used by the survey population. The survey was carried out during September 1981 and, whilst there were no specific starting or ending days for the survey, it was assumed that as the diary lasted for
GeoforumNolume 13 Number 311982 seven continous days each diary would contain a record of a family’s ‘normal’ weekly pattern of behaviour. Obviously certain weeks may have been atypical for a family, due perhaps to one of the members being on holiday, but this was checked by means of a supplement to the main diary. This appendix also served the important purpose of recording those journeys made on a less than once weekly frequency. A final small section was used to obtain information on the general household characteristics of the sample population. A systematic sampling procedure for each village was undertaken, with the number of households contacted in any particular village being proportionate to the size of the settlement. Overall the response rate to the survey proved to be most satisfactory (Table 5). Of the 659 households contacted in the eleven villages 445 usable diary surveys were recovered and, whilst there was a variation between the villages, they yielded an overall response rate of 67.5%. As with any questionnaire, the rapport made at the initial contact with the respondents proved to be very important. By having face-to-face contact the purpose of the project could be readily explained and any queries discussed openly. It also proved useful to be able to explain how easy the diary was to complete, especially as it may have appeared a daunting document at first sight. In fact, the gaining of a household’s confidence at the initial stage of contact is illustrated in that 80.0% of those who agreed to take the diary successfully completed them. Thus, overall, the response rate proved to be most satisfactory. Although detailed analysis of the collected data is still being undertaken, and there is no scope in this paper to discuss even preliminary results, one or Table 5.
two comments relating to the coding-up procedure deserve a mention. It must be conceded that coding the diaries is a time-consuming process. However, it was readily apparent that the data collected was extremely detailed and it is hoped that some assessment of the role of the service centres as local focal points can be made. In conclusion, therefore, the use of a diary survey in this example proved a very effective method of gathering detailed information in relation to a particular problem. The numerous criticisms made of diary surveys proved to be by no means insurmountable and the data is proving useful in assessing the success of part of the planning strategy adopted by Norfolk County Council. From both surveys by far the biggest advantage in using the diary technique was the quality of the very detailed data which was obtained. The use of a diary whereby events are logged by an individual or groups of individuals over a given period of time promises accurate results, closer to the ‘truth’ than results that are obtainable from other techniques. For example, the problem of recall, so apparent with more conventional questionnaire techniques, is absent. Furthermore, by using closed questions conventional techniques constrain their respondents in the way they record their behaviour. For example, in trying to assess shopping behaviour a respondent may be constrained to describing the frequency they visit a centre within only three categories: weekly, 2-3 times per week or more than three times a week, thereby reducing the detail and precision of the reply. A secondary advantage of using a diary technique is that very often the detailed data collected can be used for subsidiary purposes. Although it must be stated that the diary should be initially designed with a single purpose in mind, the
Response rates to the travel diary: the Norfolk example
Village
Household contacted
No. of usable diary responses
% response rate
Cranworth Shipdham Mileham Tittleshall Necton Beeston
32 132 47 54 130 48
26 94 30 38 83 34
81.3 71.2 63.8 70.4 63.8 70.8
Bradenham Lt. Dunham Gt. Dunham Litchan Holme Hale Total
56 30 30 5.5 45 659
34 18 18 ;3
zK!l 60:o 78.2 60.0 67.5
445
GeoforumNolume 13 Number 3/1982
256
two studies outlined above have provided a very detailed body of data which may be applied to other questions than those it was originally collected to help answer. For example, in both cases data were collected on the destination and modes of transport used in a journey which could be usefully employed in an examination of the balance between private and public modes of transport in rural areas. Thus, in conclusion, the two examples of the use of a diary technique in rural areas provided very satisfactory results. This in part could have been due to the small scale of settlements which made the generation of a favourable community spirit easier, with the respondents as a whole more readily rising to the challenge of the projects. The favourable response to CLARK and UNWIN’s (1980) diary survey in rural Lincolnshire gives further credence to this hypothesis. Nevertheless, these two examples do suggest that the diary technique, if used with
the proper safeguards, can prove to be a useful method of geographical research, especially in studies of rural areas, but its consideration as a survey technique for behavioural analysis in other environments may be encouraged.
References
CLARK, D. and UNWIN, K. I. (1980) Information Services in Rural Areas: Prospects for Telecommunications Access. Geo Books, Norwich. HOINVILLE et al. (1978) Survey Research Practice.
Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., London. NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL (1980) Norfolk Structure Plan: Approved
Written Statement.
OPPENHIEM, A. N. (1966) Questionnaire Design and Attitude Measurement. Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., London.
1982.
lN16-71l35/82/0.3%251-06 W3.OU/O @ 1982 Pergamon Press Ltd
The Use of Diary Survey Techniques: the Rural Studies Case
G. EDWARDS
and D. SHAW,* Lampeter,
U.K.
Abstract: The use of diary techniques in social surveys has been discouraged because of the difficulties which have often been associated with their implementation and the analysis of the results. This paper argues that given the use of proper safeguards, diary techniques may be employed to provide high quality data for behavioural analysis, particularly in rural studies. This view is supported by an examination of two case studies where a diary technique was successfully used. Introduction
(2) The failure of respondents to complete the diary correctly is often cited as a major problem. Misunderstandings due to the diary’s complexity are thought to lead to the respondents giving the wrong information or even failing to provide the information asked for.
The behaviour of a rural population in relation to its social, economic and physical environments is central to the provision of both public and private sector services and as such is often the focal point of rural studies. The diary survey technique, with its ability to record the respondents’ activities over a defined period of time, appears well equipped to encapsulate that behaviour and provide data of a high standard for analysis and subsequent policy formulation. As OPPENHIEM (1966, p. 216) states, “The diary technique, used with proper safeguards, can yield results that are probably nearest to the ‘true’ frequency for a given period”. It is perhaps surprising, therefore, that the diary technique has not been more commonly employed within social surveys in general and rural studies in particular. The problems of expense, design and analysis often associated with the technique have severely inhibited its use other than in surveys where no feasible alternative existed. The following problems have been particularly noted by commentators (OPPENHIEM, 1966; HOINVILLE et al., 1978).
(3) It is thought difficult to sustain the motivation of a respondent to fill in a diary over a period of time. (4) It has been suggested that the interest of the respondents in completing the diary will cause them to modify their behaviour as they become more aware of their activities. For example, the awareness of a respondent that he is making use of his car for very short journeys, as a result of filling in trip details in a diary, may persuade him to walk when making these trips for reasons of health and economy. (5) The flexibility associated with diaries makes the information recorded difficult to analyse; in particular, the absence of a strict coding practice makes the arrangement of the resultant data more laborious.
(1) As the filling in of a diary over a set period requires a greater commitment on the part of the respondent, refusal rates are likely to be higher than for conventional questionnaire surveys. *Department of Geography, Saint David’s Lampeter, Dyfed, U.K.
University
Consequently, there has been a reluctance to use diaries in social surveys, but Oppenhiem’s reference to ‘proper safeguards’ assumes that the techniques can be used successfully to provide data of a high quality. This has been illustrated by two rural
College,
251
GeoforumiVolume 13 Number 311982
252 studies of differing emphases undertaken David’s University College, Lampeter.
Minor Rural Roads: a Transport
at Saint
Survey
The purpose
of the diary technique in a study of minor rural roads in Wales was to provide information on the travel patterns generated within three case study areas. The household was used as the basic unit of the survey. It was hoped that the data collected through the diaries would allow the reconstruction of traffic movements in the three areas in order that their relationship to road damage could be assessed. The diaries were completed simultaneously by the sample population of the case study areas during the seven days commencing 17 August 1981, and were used in conjunction with a socio-economic questionnaire. The entire survey consisted of three phases: (a) a preparation phase; (b) a socio-economic questionnaire; and (c) a travel diary. The preparation phase of the survey was an important prelude to the more direct final two phases of the operation and was intended to introduce the potential respondents to the survey and its requirements. This was achieved by the delivery of introductory letters, the use of local newspapers and the establishment of contacts within the communities concerned. By establishing an initial rapport with the local population through this preparation stage it was hoped that a favourable community spirit would be established, thereby increasing the likelihood of a completed diary response. The questionnaire phase required a number of interviewers to contact each unit of activity within the case study areas to ascertain the socio-economic conditions at each location. In order to cover the range of rural activities, the questionnaire was sub-divided into three sections: a household survey; an agricultural survey; and a business survey. However, these sections were not mutually exclusive as any unit of activity could qualify for more than one section. For example, a farm is both an agricultural and household unit and may even have a business function as well. At the end of each interview the respondent was introduced to the third most important phase of the survey, the travel diary. The interviewer explained the purpose and requirements of this phase and then proceeded to show the respondents how to provide the correct information. The diary was left for the respondents to complete for the seven-day period, after which it was collected by the
interviewer, who then dealt with any problems that had arisen during the survey. The diary itself was in two sections: first, a record of trips made by the respondent, the respondent’s household and the respondent’s employees (if any); and second, a record of trips made by visitors or delivery agents to the house/farm/business concerned. The details required by both sections included the date of travel, the purpose of travel, the mode of transport involved and the starting and finishing points of the journeys. Within the survey certain steps were taken to counteract the problems associated with the diary technique noted earlier. The problem of nonresponse to the diary was alleviated by two actions. First, respondents were encouraged to complete the diary by the interviewer using the personal contact arising out of the socio-economic survey. By establishing a favourable rapport with the respondents it was hoped that this would lead to a feeling of commitment on behalf of the survey population. At the same time it was felt necessary to involve the respondent in the overall study by providing information on its aims and methodology (through both the preparation phase and contact with the interviewer), thereby stimulating the desire to respond to the challenge of the project as a whole. The second device to overcome the problem of nonresponse involved the design of the travel diary. This was made as simple and convenient as possible, to allow the information to be recorded with little effort and in a short period of time. The diaries were also attractive in design and easily understood. Assurances of the confidentiality of the information provided were given and references to personal or financial details were carefully avoided. One important aspect of the diary’s design was its bilingual nature as two of the case study areas contained a high proportion of Welsh speakers. The quality of the data collected depended very heavily upon the diaries being completed correctly. To facilitate this, clear and concise instructions were given in the diary and a number of examples of how to correctly complete each section were given. The interviewer reinforced these measures by going through the instructions and examples with the respondents when the travel diary was initially distributed and by answering any problems when it was collected. By making enquiries as to how the respondents were coping during the seven-day survey period, it
GeoforumlVolume
253
13 Number 311982
the diary technique has weaknesses as a survey method, the availability of safeguards and its suitability for the Minor Rural Roads Study encouraged its adoption and successful implementation.
was hoped to avoid the possible decrease in the information gathered as the survey progressed due to a loss of motivation on behalf of the respondents. At the same time, advice on how to organise the completion of the diary was given and, in particular, respondents were encouraged to establish the habit of filling in the diary at a set time and place each day. As a result of these precautions it was hoped that the data provided by the diary technique would be of a high quality.
Table 1 reveals a very satisfactory response rate to the diary, although the rate was not quite as high as that of the conventional questionnaire. This discrepancy was almost entirely due to respondents accepting the diary but then neglecting to complete or only partially completing the records required, rather than respondents refusing the diary outright. This confirms the difficulties in using a diary technique discussed above, but, nevertheless, there was a favourable response rate to the diary and it provided data which would have been unattainable by any other survey technique.
At the same time, the criticism that the diary technique may modify by its existence the behaviour it was supposed to be recording seemed to be largely unfounded in this particular study. It was found that the number of trips made by the respondents was normally very regular and revolved around the set daily patterns of behaviour of the individuals involved. Consequently, it was felt unlikely that the trip characteristics of the respondents were modified by the presence of the diary. However, for diary surveys of longer than seven days duration, it is conceivable that the problems of motivation and modification of a respondent’s behaviour pattern would come more and more to the fore.
The quality of those data was established by calculating the standard error of the sample and the concomitant 68,95 and 99% confidence limits for a number of variables in the data set. Thus, by calculating these confidence limits and comparing them with the sample mean and standard deviation, the accuracy of the data in reflecting the properties of the survey population was assessed (Table 2). It is evident that the values for the 99% confidence limit are small in comparison with the mean and well within one standard deviation of the sample data. Thus it is possible to say with a high level of confidence that the data collected by the diary sur-
Finally, the difficulties in coding and analysing the data collected by the diaries were not insurmountable, although a little more time-consuming than for conventional questionnaire surveys. Thus, although
Table 1. Response rates to the travel diary and its accompanying questionnaire
Area
Total survey population
: 3 Total
101 96 109 306
Number of respondents Questionaire (%) Diary (%)
73 83 (82.1) (76.0) 94 (86.2) 250 (81.6)
61 (60.3) 69 (61.4) 77 (70.6) 197 (64.3)
Table 2. The standard error and confidence limits for three main variables within the diary survey data
Variable
Mean
Standard deviation
Total trips Trips generated Trips attracted
46.47 30.23 15.92
19.90 16.69 7.66
Standard error 2.45 2.06 0.94
68%
Limits of confidence 95%
99%
52.45 k2.06 f0.94
f4.90 k4.12 f1.88
-17.35 f6.18 rt2.82
GeoforumNolume 13 Number 3/1982 vey accurately reflected the properties of the survey population. This optimism is reinforced by an examination of those units which responded to the questionnaire but did not complete the diary. Table 3 reveals that there was no significant bias towards any group in the number of those who did not complete the diary. Table 3. Category of those units of activity that did not
respond to the diary
Area Farms 1 2 3
Small Retired holding householder
5 4 3
6 2 2
Family households Totals 6 4 8
5 4 4
22 14 17
Table 4. Estimated and observed traffic flows (vehicles
per day) in the three case study areas Area 1
Location A :
D E 2
Observed
% difference
557 313 102 133 48
569 306 97 141 50
-2.2 +2.2 +4.9 -6.0 -4.2
326 228 48
-4.6 -3.5 0.0 -4.1 +5.5 -3.5 +3.1 +2.1 -5.7 -1.3
D E
294 73
341 236 48 306 69
A B
316 32 281 88 234
327 31 275 93 237
A B C
3
Estimated
C
D E
Furthermore, the data collected by the diary allowed the accurate reconstruction of traffic patterns in the three case studies considered. In each of the case study areas automatic traffic counts were undertaken at five points in the road network during the survey week. Consequently it was possible to compare these observed traffic flow figures with the estimated figures for the five points in each network derived from the diary survey data (Table 4). The results reveal that the estimated traffic flows generally lie between plus or minus 5% of the observed flows and thus the data provided for a realistic representation of traffic conditions in the
case study areas. Thus the diary technique drew a high response rate from each category of respondents in each of the three areas and provided data of sufficient quantity and quality for the specific requirements of a traffic modelling exercise. However, the results achieved would imply that a wider use of the technique within social surveys may be justified, as is seen in the second study at Saint David’s University College which employed the technique.
Rural Settlement Planning in Norfolk: a Survey of Village Service Centres
In this example a diary questionnaire methodology was used in an attempt to assess the role that ‘service centres’ play within the rural planning strategy for Norfolk. By taking into account both the existing policy documentation and the particular problems facing the county, the county council proposed a policy aimed broadly at maintaining rural communities and widening rural opportunities (NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL, 1980). Outside the three major towns of the area, growth, particularly in terms of employment, was to be channelled primarily towards six ‘growth towns’ and to a lesser extent towards thirteen smaller local centres named in the Structure Plan. Below these in the settlement hierarchy a number of villages were identified as service centres. It was these smaller selected centres that were to be the focus of attention. These service centres were to be large enough to support a range of facilities which were to serve their existing and planned population and that of the surrounding villages. It was as part of the attempt to assess whether these selected settlements acted as local centres that a diary survey technique was utilised. In all a total of eleven villages were selected for closer scrutiny. These included three service centres and their surrounding villages. A diary survey was designed to assess how much use households made of the facilities in the local ‘service centres’ in comparison to their use of the facilities provided by their own village and the local market town. Information was gathered on a household basis for all journeys that members of the household made during a continuous seven-day period. The information could then be used to analyse the location and types of facilities used by the survey population. The survey was carried out during September 1981 and, whilst there were no specific starting or ending days for the survey, it was assumed that as the diary lasted for
GeoforumNolume 13 Number 311982 seven continous days each diary would contain a record of a family’s ‘normal’ weekly pattern of behaviour. Obviously certain weeks may have been atypical for a family, due perhaps to one of the members being on holiday, but this was checked by means of a supplement to the main diary. This appendix also served the important purpose of recording those journeys made on a less than once weekly frequency. A final small section was used to obtain information on the general household characteristics of the sample population. A systematic sampling procedure for each village was undertaken, with the number of households contacted in any particular village being proportionate to the size of the settlement. Overall the response rate to the survey proved to be most satisfactory (Table 5). Of the 659 households contacted in the eleven villages 445 usable diary surveys were recovered and, whilst there was a variation between the villages, they yielded an overall response rate of 67.5%. As with any questionnaire, the rapport made at the initial contact with the respondents proved to be very important. By having face-to-face contact the purpose of the project could be readily explained and any queries discussed openly. It also proved useful to be able to explain how easy the diary was to complete, especially as it may have appeared a daunting document at first sight. In fact, the gaining of a household’s confidence at the initial stage of contact is illustrated in that 80.0% of those who agreed to take the diary successfully completed them. Thus, overall, the response rate proved to be most satisfactory. Although detailed analysis of the collected data is still being undertaken, and there is no scope in this paper to discuss even preliminary results, one or Table 5.
two comments relating to the coding-up procedure deserve a mention. It must be conceded that coding the diaries is a time-consuming process. However, it was readily apparent that the data collected was extremely detailed and it is hoped that some assessment of the role of the service centres as local focal points can be made. In conclusion, therefore, the use of a diary survey in this example proved a very effective method of gathering detailed information in relation to a particular problem. The numerous criticisms made of diary surveys proved to be by no means insurmountable and the data is proving useful in assessing the success of part of the planning strategy adopted by Norfolk County Council. From both surveys by far the biggest advantage in using the diary technique was the quality of the very detailed data which was obtained. The use of a diary whereby events are logged by an individual or groups of individuals over a given period of time promises accurate results, closer to the ‘truth’ than results that are obtainable from other techniques. For example, the problem of recall, so apparent with more conventional questionnaire techniques, is absent. Furthermore, by using closed questions conventional techniques constrain their respondents in the way they record their behaviour. For example, in trying to assess shopping behaviour a respondent may be constrained to describing the frequency they visit a centre within only three categories: weekly, 2-3 times per week or more than three times a week, thereby reducing the detail and precision of the reply. A secondary advantage of using a diary technique is that very often the detailed data collected can be used for subsidiary purposes. Although it must be stated that the diary should be initially designed with a single purpose in mind, the
Response rates to the travel diary: the Norfolk example
Village
Household contacted
No. of usable diary responses
% response rate
Cranworth Shipdham Mileham Tittleshall Necton Beeston
32 132 47 54 130 48
26 94 30 38 83 34
81.3 71.2 63.8 70.4 63.8 70.8
Bradenham Lt. Dunham Gt. Dunham Litchan Holme Hale Total
56 30 30 5.5 45 659
34 18 18 ;3
zK!l 60:o 78.2 60.0 67.5
445
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256
two studies outlined above have provided a very detailed body of data which may be applied to other questions than those it was originally collected to help answer. For example, in both cases data were collected on the destination and modes of transport used in a journey which could be usefully employed in an examination of the balance between private and public modes of transport in rural areas. Thus, in conclusion, the two examples of the use of a diary technique in rural areas provided very satisfactory results. This in part could have been due to the small scale of settlements which made the generation of a favourable community spirit easier, with the respondents as a whole more readily rising to the challenge of the projects. The favourable response to CLARK and UNWIN’s (1980) diary survey in rural Lincolnshire gives further credence to this hypothesis. Nevertheless, these two examples do suggest that the diary technique, if used with
the proper safeguards, can prove to be a useful method of geographical research, especially in studies of rural areas, but its consideration as a survey technique for behavioural analysis in other environments may be encouraged.
References
CLARK, D. and UNWIN, K. I. (1980) Information Services in Rural Areas: Prospects for Telecommunications Access. Geo Books, Norwich. HOINVILLE et al. (1978) Survey Research Practice.
Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., London. NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL (1980) Norfolk Structure Plan: Approved
Written Statement.
OPPENHIEM, A. N. (1966) Questionnaire Design and Attitude Measurement. Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., London.