Based on the provided context, large-scale surveying refers to the process of administering a survey designed for one or more entire populations within a specific institution, such as a College.
Understanding Large-Scale Surveys
Within the framework described, a large-scale survey is distinctly defined by its target audience rather than its complexity or the size of the questionnaire.
- Target Audience: The key characteristic is that the survey is intended for entire populations.
- Scope: This can include diverse groups within the institution, such as students, faculty, staff, or specific segments that constitute a full population.
- Purpose: Such surveys are typically conducted to gather comprehensive data covering the entire group to inform institutional decisions, assess needs, or measure overall sentiment or characteristics.
The provided definition explicitly states:
A “large-scale survey” is any survey that is intended to be administered to one or more full populations of the College, including St.
This highlights that the scale is measured by the completeness of the population being surveyed, not necessarily the absolute number of individuals if the population itself is small, nor the geographical area covered, as might be the case in geographical surveying.
Key Elements of a Large-Scale Survey (in this context):
- Population Coverage: Must target a complete population or multiple complete populations.
- Institutional Context: Relevant within an organizational structure like a college or university.
- Administration: Involves the process of distributing and collecting survey responses from the defined full population(s).
In summary, within the context of the provided information, large-scale surveying means conducting a survey that aims to include every member of one or more specific groups that constitute full populations within an organization.
