Calculating percentages in a survey involves expressing the number of respondents who chose a specific answer as a proportion of the total number of respondents. This allows for easy comparison and interpretation of survey results.
Here's a breakdown of how to calculate percentages in different survey contexts:
1. Calculating the Percentage for a Single Question Response:
- Identify the total number of respondents (N): This is the total number of people who answered the survey.
- Identify the number of respondents who chose a specific answer (n): For example, the number of people who selected "Agree" on a Likert scale question.
- Divide the number of respondents who chose the specific answer by the total number of respondents:
n / N - Multiply the result by 100 to express it as a percentage:
(n / N) * 100
Example:
If 200 people responded to a survey (N = 200) and 120 of them chose "Yes" to a particular question (n = 120), the percentage of people who chose "Yes" is:
(120 / 200) * 100 = 60%
Therefore, 60% of the respondents answered "Yes".
2. Calculating Survey Response Rate:
The response rate indicates the proportion of people who completed the survey out of the total number who were invited to participate or viewed the survey.
- Identify the number of completed survey responses.
- Identify the number of people who viewed or started the survey.
- Divide the number of completed responses by the number of people who viewed or started the survey.
- Multiply by 100 to express as a percentage.
Formula:
Response Rate = (Number of Completed Surveys / Number of People Invited or Viewed) * 100
Example:
If 500 people were invited to take a survey and 150 completed it, the response rate is:
(150 / 500) * 100 = 30%
This means the survey had a 30% response rate.
3. Using Percentages for Data Analysis and Presentation:
Percentages are useful for:
- Comparing responses across different questions: You can easily compare the percentage of people who agree with different statements.
- Tracking changes over time: Comparing percentages from surveys conducted at different times allows you to see trends in opinions or behaviors.
- Segmenting your audience: Analyzing percentages for different demographic groups (e.g., age, gender) can reveal valuable insights.
- Creating Charts and Graphs: Percentages are easily visualized using bar charts, pie charts, and other graphical representations.
Summary:
Calculating percentages in surveys is a fundamental way to analyze and interpret data. By expressing results as percentages, you can easily compare responses, track changes, segment your audience, and create compelling visualizations. Remember to divide the number of respondents who selected a specific answer by the total number of respondents and then multiply by 100 to get the percentage. Calculating survey response rates helps determine how representative your collected data is to the target population.
