do a survey

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "do a survey" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
For example, "We need to do a survey to see what our customers think of our new product."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

You broke my heart.' (I do a survey.

The Guardian

So I had my class do a survey of ants.

The New York Times - Science

So Ms. Clarke-Pine decided to do a survey.

The New York Times

If the information is public, why do a survey?

The New York Times

Anybody can do a survey and count it up.

The Guardian

He has no citation but quips: "You could do a survey asking people if they have been surveyed".

The Guardian

"We then received funding to do a survey and got just over 1,800 responses," says Bourne.

The Guardian

In Afghanistan, you could send it into an building and do a survey so you'd know who and what was inside".

The Guardian

I don't see any evidence it has been done by researchers who know how to do a survey," she told me.

The Guardian - Opinion

Does [WaPo editor] Marty Baron or [NYT editor] Dean Baquet do a survey of what people care about, and assign reporters based on that?

The Washington Post

The best spin you can put on it is that you could do a survey elsewhere — Rhode Island, Nevada, Louisiana, New York — and have an equal amount of fun.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When planning research, specify the type of survey you intend to "do" (e.g., online survey, phone survey) to provide clarity and context.

Common error

Avoid vague language when planning your survey. Instead of simply deciding to "do a survey", clearly define the research question and the specific information you aim to gather.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "do a survey" functions as a verb phrase, where "do" acts as a light verb and "survey" is the direct object. This construction indicates the action of conducting or performing a survey to gather information. Ludwig confirms the correctness of this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Wiki

15%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Academia

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "do a survey" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to describe the action of conducting a survey. According to Ludwig, its usage spans across various contexts, including news, science, and general knowledge. It has a generally neutral register, suitable for both professional and informal communication. When aiming for more formal tone, one could consider using "conduct a survey" instead. Remember to clearly define your survey's objectives to make it as impactful as possible.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

conduct a study

Replaces 'survey' with 'study', implying a more in-depth investigation.

carry out an investigation

Uses 'investigation' instead of 'survey', suggesting a more formal or serious inquiry.

perform an assessment

Substitutes 'survey' with 'assessment', implying an evaluation or judgment.

undertake a poll

Replaces 'survey' with 'poll', indicating a simpler form of data collection.

administer a questionnaire

Focuses on the method of data collection, using a 'questionnaire'.

launch a data collection

Highlights the process of gathering data, more formal.

gather feedback

Emphasizes collecting opinions or reactions from people.

run an analysis

Suggests a more analytical and interpretive approach.

collect information

A more general term for acquiring data.

make an evaluation

Suggests judging the quality, importance, amount, or value of something.

FAQs

How can I use "do a survey" in a sentence?

You can use "do a survey" to describe the act of conducting a survey for research, feedback, or data collection. For example, "The company decided to "do a survey" to gauge customer satisfaction".

What are some alternatives to "do a survey"?

Alternatives include "conduct a study", "carry out an investigation", or "gather feedback", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "do a survey" or "conduct a survey"?

Both "do a survey" and "conduct a survey" are grammatically correct. "Conduct a survey" is often perceived as more formal and professional, while "do a survey" is more informal.

What kind of information can you get when you "do a survey"?

When you "do a survey", you can obtain a wide range of information, including opinions, preferences, demographic data, and behavioral insights, depending on the survey's design and target audience.