survey

A study that asks people questions to find out their opinions or experiences.

• Please complete this short survey.
• Our survey asked parents about school meals.
• The surveys showed that most customers were satisfied.

How to use it: a survey of someone (A survey of students showed strong support.); a survey on something (We conducted a survey on travel habits.)

Similar words: poll, questionnaire

Common phrases: conduct a survey, complete a survey, survey results

A general look at a subject or place to understand its main features.

• We made a survey of local shops.
• An initial survey revealed several possible sites.
• The report includes a broad survey of the market.

How to use it: a survey of something (We began with a survey of the area.)

Similar words: overview, review

Common phrases: survey of something, general survey, broad survey

A book, article, or account that describes the main parts of a subject.

• This book is a survey of modern art.
• The opening chapter gives a short survey of the subject.
• Students read two survey papers before choosing a topic.

How to use it: a survey of something (The course offers a survey of European history.)

Similar words: overview, introduction

Common phrases: survey of something, survey paper, historical survey

A careful check of something to find its condition, amount, quality, or value.

• The house needs a structural survey.
• A survey found damage to the bridge.
• We arranged a survey before buying the property.

How to use it: a survey of something (The survey of the roof revealed several leaks.)

Similar words: inspection, examination, assessment

Common phrases: building survey, structural survey, survey of something

Measuring an area of land to find its shape, size, and position, often to make a map.

• We need a land survey.
• The survey showed the exact boundary.
• Engineers used aerial surveys to map the coast.

How to use it: a survey of somewhere (They completed a survey of the building site.)

Common phrases: land survey, aerial survey, survey of something

Reading many books and articles about one subject to understand what is already known.

• Start with a survey of the literature.
• Her survey covered research published over twenty years.
• A careful survey of earlier studies revealed a gap.

How to use it: a survey of something (He completed a survey of existing research.)

Similar words: literature review

Common phrases: literature survey, survey of literature

To ask a group of people questions to learn about their opinions or experiences.

• We survey our customers every year.
• The researchers surveyed students about sleep.
• Have you surveyed the people who live nearby?

How to use it: survey someone about something (They surveyed parents about the new timetable.)

Similar words: poll, question

Common phrases: survey customers, survey someone about something, survey local residents

To look carefully at something as a whole to understand it.

• She stopped to survey the room.
• We surveyed the available options before deciding.
• He surveyed the scene from the doorway.

Similar words: examine, review, look over

Common phrases: survey the scene, survey something carefully, survey the situation, survey the landscape