With the application of probability
sampling in the 1930s, surveys became a standard tool for
empirical research in
social sciences,
marketing, and official statistics. The methods involved in
survey data collection are any of a number of ways in which data can be
collected for a
statistical survey. These are methods that are used to collect information from a sample of individuals in a systematic way. First there was the change from traditional paper-and-pencil interviewing (PAPI) to computer-assisted interviewing (CAI). Now, face-to-face surveys (CAPI), telephone surveys (CATI), and mail surveys (CASI, CSAQ) are increasingly replaced by web surveys.