Consulting—assisting with every phase of the project, from problem identification and research design to conducting the study and reporting results
Survey instrument design—designing, piloting, and printing valid and reliable instruments for mail and telephone research (ACT staff can also help the institution review and modify existing instruments)
Sample design—developing a sampling plan and selecting a sample to meet the institution's specific research objectives (e.g., taking into account differential response patterns or stratifying by socioeconomic status)
Survey administration—developing and carrying out a plan for survey administration and follow-up activities that encourage a maximum response rate (ACT staff can also provide consulting support to assist the institution in successfully administering the survey.)
Data entry and analysis—key-entering or optically scanning data from the instruments, creating a data set, and conducting statistical analyses pertinent to the institution's research objectives
Report preparation and presentation of results—preparing a written report with graphs and tables, detailing results from the study (On request, ACT research consultants will come to the institution to present the findings to appropriate groups. Tabular reports, executive summaries, and presentation materials are also available.)
Implementation strategies—helping the institution interpret the results of the study (ACT staff have experience in planning and research, and statistics are available to provide consulting through completion of the project.)