Web Survey Bibliography

Title The impact of visualization of question types and screen pages on the answering behaviour in online surveys
Author Hemsing, W., Hellwig, O.
Source General Online Research Conference (GOR) 2006
Year 2006
Access date 20.09.2006
Abstract The impact of visualization of question types and screen pages on the answering behaviour in online surveys In online surveys there is no clear relation between question and question type. Answer options can be realized in several ways: as single response list (vertical), as single response list (horizontal), drop down or drop-up menu with a determined number of answer options or without given answer options. In the case of answer scales the questioner can decide whether he wants to present all scale characteristics in full or if he wants to show only the end points; whether he wants to use numbers from e.g. –2 to +2 or numbers from 1-5; whether he arranges the scale from left to right in ascending or descending order. He can also decide whether he wants to use illustrative scale characteristics such as smilies. Often images are used as eye-catcher: A question about car usage presented with a picture of a traffic jam or presented with a picture of a free highway may lead to different results. The authors of this study believe that the choice of the question types and the design of the screen pages have a measurable effect on the answer behaviour. For this purpose identical questions about behaviour with identical characteristics in different form were presented to participants who were drawn by random from an online panel in different stages. Weekly, within a period of 3 months, 1,000 people were invited to take part in a survey and different survey designs were shown to them at random. Thus data from more than 20,0000 participants, which vary in terms of Internet experience, interview experience, gender, age and time of membership, is available. The result of the study confirmed the thesis of the authors: the visualisation of question types and screen pages influences the answer behaviour in online surveys. On the basis of the results the authors set up a list of recommendations for the visualisation of question types and screen pages.
Access/Direct link Conference homepage (abstract)
Year of publication2006
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
Full text availabilityNon-existant
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Web Survey Bibliography - General Online Research Conference (GOR) 2006 (29)