# Lessons Learnt in Conducting Survey Research

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1702.05744 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1702.05744/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 19 Feb 2017.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [A Call for Critically Rethinking and Reforming Data Analysis in Empirical Software Engineering](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.12728/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Context: Surveys constitute an valuable tool to capture a large-scale snapshot of the state of the practice. Apparently trivial to adopt, surveys hide, however, several pitfalls that might hinder rendering the result valid and, thus, useful. Goal: We aim at providing an overview of main pitfalls in software engineering surveys and report on practical ways to deal with them. Method: We build on the experiences we collected in conducting many studies and distill the main lessons learnt. Results: The eight lessons learnt we report cover different aspects of the survey process ranging from the design of initial research objectives to the design of a questionnaire. Conclusions: Our hope is that by sharing our lessons learnt, combined with a disciplined application of the general survey theory, we contribute to improving the quality of the research results achievable by employing software engineering surveys.