Web Survey Bibliography
A long-standing notion within survey research is that most respondents have a preference for a particular survey mode. Shortly after the development of telephone data collection methods, Groves and Kahn (1979) found that respondents tend to prefer one data collection mode over another. Because respondents may prefer one mode to another, many survey researchers have assumed that response rates, and general goodwill and attitudes about the questionnaire, can be improved by catering to the preferences of potential respondents, oftentimes by providing a choice between different modes (see Shih and Fan 2007; Dillman, West, and Clark 1994; Diment and Garrett-Jones 2007; de Leeuw, Hox, and Dillman 2008). In recent years, the Internet has become an increasingly more enticing medium for survey research. Switching mail or telephone surveys to the web has many benefits; web questionnaires are significantly less costly for researchers and could potentially reduce the burden put on respondents. More surveys are now conducted using the web, with varying results. However, web surveys of the general public have not yet effectively achieved response rates that are equivalent to those of mail questionnaires or other forms of surveying (Manfreda et al. 2008; Shih and Fan 2007) and coverage is limited. When given a choice, it appears that most respondents still prefer other modes of response to the Internet (Shih and Fan 2007; Diment and Garrett-Jones 2007). Thus, in order to achieve the best response rates, some prior research suggests surveyors should continue to cater to people’s preference for mail questionnaires. The analyses presented in this report address the issue of mode preference and its implications for survey response rates. This research utilized a mixed-mode web and mail survey experiment. One purpose of this study was to develop methods for improving response rates for web surveys. The experiment results imply that it is possible to achieve relatively high web response rates using several techniques. In this report we discuss these methods and the results of the experimental treatments included in this study. Additionally, our data reveal some surprising effects of survey mode on respondents’ mode preference, which suggest that relying on people’s stated preferences may not be a necessary or important method for deciding which survey mode to utilize. In light of these findings, we believe the web is a viable option for conducting certain surveys of the general public. To further understand the usefulness of web surveys, we also examine factors that may influence the likelihood of respondents choosing a web questionnaire over another option. We conclude by summarizing what this research tells us about effectively implementing web surveys.
Homepage - Don A. Dillman (abstarct)/(full text)
Web survey bibliography - Reports, seminars (231)
- Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys 2016; 2016
- Standard Definitions Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys; 2016
- FocusVision 2015 Annual MR Technology Report; 2016; Macer, T., Wilson, S.
- Establishing the accuracy of online panels for survey research; 2016; Bruggen, E.; van den Brakel, J.; Krosnick, J. A.
- Mixing modes of data collection in Swiss social surveys: Methodological report of the LIVES-FORS mixed...; 2016; Roberts, C.; Joye, D.; Staehli, M. E.
- Assessment of Innovations in Data Collection Technology for Understanding Society; 2016; Couper, M. P.
- Report of the Inquiry into the 2015 British general election opinion polls; 2016; Sturgis, P., Baker, N., Callegaro, M., Fisher, St., Green, J., Jennings, W., Kuha, J., Lauderdale, B...
- Evaluating a New Proposal for Detecting Data Falsification in Surveys; 2016; Simmons, K.; Mercer, A. W.; Schwarzer, S.; Courtney, K.
- Computer-assisted and online data collection in general population surveys; 2016; Skarupova, K.
- Predictive inference for non-probability samples: a simulation study ; 2016; Buelens, B.; Burger, J.; van den Brakel, J.
- ESOMAR/GRBN Online Research Guideline; 2015
- App vs. Web for Surveys of Smartphone Users: Experimenting with mobile apps for signal-contingent experience...; 2015; McGeeney, K.; Keeter, S.; Igielnik, R.; Smith, A.; Rainie, L.
- On Climbing Stairs Many Steps at a Time: The New Normal in Survey Methodology; 2015; Dillman, D. A.
- Polling Error in the 2015 UK General Election: An Analysis of YouGov’s Pre and Post-Election Polls...; 2015; Wells, A.; Rivers, D.
- GreenBook Research Industry Trends Report; 2015; Murphy, L. (Ed.)
- Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys 2015; 2015
- Methodology of the RAND Mid-Term 2014 Election Panel; 2015; Carman, K. G; Pollack, S.
- 28 Questions to Help Buyers of Online Samples; 2015; Cape, P. J.; Phillips, A.; Baker, R.; Cooke, M.; Ribeiro, E.; Terhanian, G.
- Understanding Society Innovation Panel Wave 7: Results from Methodological Experiments; 2015; Blom, A. G.; Burton, J.; Booker, C. L.; Cernat, A.; Fairbrother, M.; Jaeckle, A.; Kaminska, O.; Keusch...
- Tips for Creating Web Surveys for Completion on a Mobile Device; 2015; McGeeney, K.
- U.S. Survey Research: Sampling; 2015
- A Comparison of Different Online Sampling Approaches for Generating National Samples; 2014; Heen, M. S. J., Lieberman, J. D., Miethe, T. D.
- FocusVision 2014 Annual MR Technology Report; 2014; Macer, T., Wilson, S.
- The Changing Landscape of Technology and its Effect on Online Survey Data Collection; 2014; Mitchell, N.
- Query on Data Collection for Social Surveys; 2014; Blanke, K., Luiten, A.
- The role of email addresses and email contact in encouraging web response in a mixed mode design ; 2014; Cernat, A., Lynn, P.
- Mixed-mode surveys of the general population - Results from the European Social Survey mixed-mode experiment...; 2014; Park, A., Humphrey, A.
- Mixed-Mode Designs bei Erhebungen mit sensitiven Fragen: Einfluss auf das Teilnahme- und Antwortverhalten...; 2014; Krug, G., Kriwy, P., Carstensen, J.
- Methods and systems for managing an online opinion survey service; 2014; Mcloughlin, M. H., Seton, N., Blesy, K.
- Mobile Technologies for Conducting, Augmenting and Potentially Replacing Surveys: Report of the AAPOR...; 2014; Link, M. W., Murphy, J., Schober, M. F., Buskirk, T. D., Childs, J. H., Tesfaye, C.
- The use of within-subject experiments for estimating measurement effects in mixed-mode surveys ; 2014; Klausch, L. T., Schouten, B., Hox, J.
- Measuring well-being: An analysis of different response scales; 2014; van Beuningen, J., van der Houwen, K., Moonen, L.
- The impact of contact effort and interviewer performance on mode-specific nonresponse and measurement...; 2014; Schouten, B., Cobben, F., van der Laan, J., Arends, J.
- Community Life Survey: Summary of web experiment findings; 2013
- The Short-term Campaign Panel of the German Longitudinal Election Study 2009. Design, Implementation...; 2013; Steinbrecher, M., Rossmann, J.
- Too Fast, Too Straight, Too Weird: Post Hoc Identification of Meaningless Data in Internet ; 2013; Leiner, D. J.
- Postal recruitment into a longitudinal online panel survey. The effects of different number of reminder...; 2013; Martinsson, J.
- The world in 2013. ICT facts and figures; 2013
- Microsoft Security Intelligence Report, Volume 15; 2013
- A Comparison of Results from a Spanish and English Mail Survey: Effects of Instruction Placement on...; 2013; Wang, K., Sha, M.
- Research Note: Reducing the Threat of Sensitive Questions in Online Surveys?; 2013; Couper, M. P.
- Global market research 2013; 2013
- Exploring the Digital Nation: America’s Emerging Online Experience; 2013
- Advantages of a global multimodal print & digital readership survey; 2013; Cour, N., Saint-Joanis, G.
- Australia: building a 21st century readership survey; 2013; Green, A., White, H.
- The new swiss national readership survey: fit for the future ; 2013; Amschler, H., Hoffmann, J.
- ESS Mixed Mode Experiment Results in Estonia (CAWI and CAPI Mode Sequential Design); 2013; Ainsaar, M., Lilleoja, L., Lumiste, K., Roots, A.
- Using smartphones in survey research: a multifunctional tool Implementation of a time use app; a feasability...; 2013; Sonck, N., Fernee, H.
- Adaptive survey designs to minimize survey mode effects. A case study on the Dutch Labour Force Survey...; 2013; Calinescu, M., Schouten, B.
- Optimal Resource Allocation in Adaptive Survey Designs; 2013; Calinescu, M.