January 6, 2026

At the beginning of the opening year of the national "15th Five-Year Plan", the School of Sports Science and Physical Education at Nanjing Normal University successfully held its first academic special lecture of the new year. The event invited Associate Professor Zhang Lei from the Department of Sociology at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, USA, who delivered an insightful report titled "Questionnaire Design in Social Sciences" for faculty and students. The lecture featured systematic and substantial content with vivid cases, providing an in-depth analysis of the key methods and practical applications of questionnaire design in social science research.

Associate Professor Zhang Lei earned his bachelor's degree from the Department of Sociology at Peking University, where he studied under Professor Guo Zhigang. He later obtained a Master of Philosophy degree from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Minnesota, USA, in 2016, under the guidance of the renowned sociologist Professor Bian Yanjie. He has long focused on research areas such as social networks and social capital, social stratification and mobility, well-being and mental health. He teaches courses including "Social Research Methods" and "Social Statistics", and his academic work has been published in authoritative Chinese and international journals such as Social Sciences in China and Social Networks.

The lecture began with basic concepts such as "population, sample, and sampling," systematically explaining the main types of probability sampling and non-probability sampling and their applicable scenarios. Using practical examples, Associate Professor Zhang Lei elaborated on the structural design of questionnaires, the "Ten Golden Rules" for question formulation, and the "Five Principles" for question sequencing. He emphasized the importance of achieving a scientific transformation from theoretical concepts to measurement indicators during the operationalization process. Additionally, he introduced methods for testing the reliability and validity of measurement tools and demonstrated the operational processes of software such as G*Power for sample size calculation and survey platforms like Questionnaire Star.

During the interactive session, Associate Professor Zhang Lei engaged with faculty and students to discuss the specific applications of social survey methods in empirical research areas such as sports behavior, exercise psychology, and health promotion, considering the characteristics of sports science. He pointed out that standardized questionnaire design is fundamental to enhancing research quality and ensuring the reliability of conclusions, encouraging students to prioritize the learning and practice of research methods in their scientific training.

After the lecture, Associate Professor Zhang Lei also provided guidance for undergraduate innovation and entrepreneurship training projects at our institute. He offered specific suggestions on questionnaire design and sampling plans tailored to the project contents, providing solid methodological support for the further development of the students' projects.

As the inaugural academic event of the institute in 2026, this lecture effectively broadened the perspectives of faculty and students in the field of social research methods, strengthened the methodological awareness of empirical research and data analysis in sports science, and received widespread acclaim from attendees. Moving forward, the institute will continue to enhance the development of research methodology courses, expand academic exchange platforms, steadily improve students' scientific research and innovation capabilities, and actively contribute to the national strategic demand for innovative talent cultivation during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.

New Media Studio, School of Sports Science and Physical Education, Nanjing Normal University

Edited by Wu Haibo

Reviewed by He Jun