175). To address these issues, the items on the questionnaire can be made both more specific and less biased, with "do you like the idea of…" or another less biased phrasing replacing the request for a show of "support." The research methodology itself -- that is, the method of distributing an collecting the questionnaires -- also has some strengths and some room for improvement. On the positive side, the wide distribution of the questionnaires (that were presumably mailed to all resident addresses in the City of Coquitlam) ensures that everyone in the community had the opportunity to weigh in on the issue, and increases the data pool (assuming the response rate was high enough) to enable some reliable and valid conclusions to be drawn. Social research issues aside, this broad distribution is also the best way to serve the principles of democracy and community-based decision-making.

On the other hand, there is also a greater chance for purposeful error in the completion of the questionnaire when it is mailed to every address, and the lack of targeting that this methodology employs (or rather, the fact that it almost entirely fails to target the population to be serviced) means that even the valid responses received might not actually provide the best answer to the research question (Maxfield & Babbie 2009, pp. 182; 186; 172). People that already fail to frequent the park maintained by the City of Coquitlam, or that do not have children,...

That is, the Forest Adventure Playground is meant for use by people who enjoy outdoor activities, and especially for families (implying that it is primarily intended for use by children of varying ages). It is this sector of people that the research should focus on, determining whether the people who might conceivably enjoy such a playground would in all actuality approve of its construction. Limiting the distribution of the research instrument to those that already attend the parks (such as through the method of stationing city employees at park entrances) and to families (possibly through distribution via the city's school rosters or even as take-home letters given to schoolchildren) would create a more targeted and thus a more effective research pool (Maxfield & Babbie 2009, pp. 172).
Though the research as conducted certainly yielded some useful results, it could have been better conducted. More specific questions without bias would have been one way to accomplish this. A more targeted subject pool would also have benefited the survey.

Reference

Maxfield, M. & Babbie, E. (2009). Basics of Research Methods for Criminal…