The basic elements of the survey method include a representative sample selected from a given population. The sample size may vary from 30-40 to many thousands, but what matters more is its mode of selection. The survey must depend on a tightly structured inflexible questionnaire. Other essential elements include investigators who take the questionnaire to respondents, and the respondents themselves whose goodwill and cooperation are crucial. The success of the survey finally depends on the nature of interactions between investigators and respondents.

The chief advantage of the survey method is that it allows us to generalise results for a large population while actually studying only a small portion of this population. It provides a broad overview representative of a large population with relatively small outlays of time and money. In situations where a census is not feasible, the survey becomes the only available means of studying the population as a whole. This makes it possible to study large populations with a manageable investment of time, effort and money, which is why it is such a popular method in the social sciences.