UA Little Rock Survey Research Center

The Survey Research Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a full-service research center that supports social science research and evaluation projects from initial concept to final publication.

Mission:

We advance accurate, ethical, and actionable social science by designing and conducting high-quality research that supports decision making, strengthens programs, and contributes to scholarly knowledge. As a collaborative campus hub, we help partners turn data into insight that improves the lives of communities and stakeholders.

Our Clients:

We support research for clients across many sectors including government agencies, healthcare institutions, public schools, colleges and universities, community organizations, private companies, and faculty conducting academic research. We tailor our support to meet the needs of the individual and the project. This includes data for decision making, government reporting, and academic publishing.

We have earned the trust of partners in Arkansas and nationwide through consistent ethical practice and a commitment to academic standards. Much of our work is used in governmental reports and peer-reviewed publications. We understand the importance of a clean and transparent process, and we maintain accountability at every stage.

Cost and Funding

Often, clients reach out before they have funding in place, and we welcome the opportunity to help shape their ideas into grant-eligible proposals. The university provides access to grant databases that help identify funding opportunities matched to your research goals. Our center provides free consultations, writing and research support groups, and grant writing support to assist clients with securing funding to cover the cost of our services. There is no cost for initial consultation and writing support groups. In addition to helping develop your proposal, we will also help you estimate costs and navigate the administrative and regulatory requirements connected to research grants.

Our team can join a research project at any point, but the best time to meet is during initial planning. Early conversations help us understand your goals, strengthen your approach, maximize your funding, and prevent delays later in the process that could cost time and money. You do not need a finished plan to work with us. Helping you build that plan is one of the most exciting parts of our job! You can email us at [email protected] or complete the form below. We are available to meet virtually or in Ross Hall Rm. 404 on the UA Little Rock Campus.

Our Process

Phase 1: Exploration

During the exploration phase, we meet with you to clarify your research questions and determine the feasibility of your project. We help define your target population and guide you toward effective sampling methods. This includes reviewing how your research questions, target population, and sampling plan fit together. We help ensure that your sample reflects the population you want to study and accounts for key demographic groups that may be important to your project. This strengthens your internal validity and increases the likelihood that your findings can be generalized to similar populations.

Phase 2: Instrument Development

A high-quality data set begins with a well-designed instrument. We help you review validated questions and established measurement strategies in your field and use them as models for creating your survey items. We also work with you to structure questions that are clear, unbiased, and aligned with your research goals.
Many challenges in research come from instruments that do not fully match what the researcher hopes to learn or that use language participants may misunderstand. These issues can reduce response rates and make data harder to interpret. Our team helps you avoid these problems by guiding you through instrument design that supports accurate, meaningful, and usable results.

Phase 3: Distribution

Once your instrument is ready, we assist with distribution. We use professional survey software and follow data collection standards that protect your study from problems common in do-it-yourself tools. Issues such as fraudulent responses, bots, and low-quality data are increasingly frequent. We help you recognize these risks and reduce their impact. Reaching the right participants is one of the hardest parts of research. Whether your project requires a random sample, a purposive sample, a stratified sample, or something more specialized, we can guide you. Our relationships with participant recruitment firms allow us to place your instrument in the hands of the people you need.

Phase 4: Data Analysis and Client Reports

When your data is ready, we help you understand what it means. You do not need to be a statistician to work with us. We translate your findings into clear language and create visualizations that effectively represent your results. Our team can provide descriptive statistics, and we also partner with statistics faculty who can assist with predictive modeling. Together, we help you understand both what is happening now and what statistical trends are emerging in the data that may shape what happens in the future based.

Phase 5: Publishing, Presenting, and Reporting

We understand that our clients have unique needs. For those in the academic community, we can provide the rigorous, detailed reporting and advanced analysis that supports a solid methodology section. For many of our governmental and private clients, their client reports are tailored to meet their annual reporting requirements. For our business clients, we understand that data needs to be clear, visual, and actionable. When we plan research with you, we plan with your needed outcomes in mind.

Our Workflow

We use an iterative development model from start to finish. Your vision drives the process at every step. You help plan, develop, review, and approve each stage before we move forward. This phased approach keeps the project transparent and prevents surprises. We focus on building long-term partnerships and supporting your ongoing research program rather than treating each project as a single isolated task.

Ready to Get Started?

To schedule your initial consultation, please complete the form below or reach out to us by email at [email protected]