Mail, telephone, and in-group methods of surveying youth are analyzed and an example of the use of the latter method during the early phase of Project 4-Health (4-H) in California is provided. Issues in data collection are associated with cost, time, survey item comprehension, and participation rates. Project 4-Health is a 5-year tobacco prevention research project conducted by the University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health and the California 4-H program, under funding by the National Cancer Institute. The primary aim of the project is to develop and field test a smokeless tobacco prevention program to be delivered to youth in 4-H clubs throughout the state. In-group surveys of nearly 2,300 4-H members were conducted in the fall of 1986 to assess tobacco use by the target population and social and psychological correlates of tobacco use. Administrators' reports, observations by researchers, and discussions with program participants indicated that: (1) youth experienced moderate problems in reading and comprehending instructions; (2) one-day training for survey administrators proved to be satisfactory; and (3) it was difficult to ensure privacy. (TJH)