Web Survey Bibliography
Internet surveys can utilize various types of design features to increase interaction with respondents. Very little research has been done on the effects of the interactivity of the web on the quality of responses. This paper examines how interactive features of internet surveys can help reduce item non response in open-ended questions and improve the quality of responses to these questions. This research builds upon two previous studies among US students, that have shown motivational statements (Smyth et al., forthcoming) and interactive follow-up probes (Holland and Christian, 2007) can improve the quality of responses to open-ended questions. In this study the main question to be answered is: Can motivational statements and interactive probing help to improve the quality of the responses of the general population of the Dutch people to open-ended questions and increase the number of respondents that provide an answer?
In this study the effects of motivational statements and follow-up probes on responses to four open-ended questions are explored. The questionnaire used for this experiment included four open-ended questions and several closed-ended questions about the current situation in Dutch society. The survey was conducted in the Dutch CentERdata LISS panel. This LISS panel consists of about 5,000 households; the reference population for the LISS panel is the Dutch speaking population permanently residing in the Netherlands.
Including a motivational statement with the initial question or asking a follow-up probe slightly improved response rates and response quality to open-ended questions in a web survey. Including a motivational statement with the open-ended question significantly improved response rates for only one question but its inclusion increased the average number of words in all four questions. Not very many respondents provided a response to the follow-up probe. However, respondents who were probed provided significantly longer answers than those who were not probed for three of the four questions. The mean number of words was higher when a motivational statement was included with the follow-up probe than with the initial question screen.
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Web survey bibliography - Christian, L. M. (21)
- User Experience and Eye-tracking: Results to Optimize Completion of a Web Survey and Website Design ; 2016; Walton, L.; Ricci, K.; Libman Barry, A.; Eiginger, C.; Christian, L. M.
- Evaluating Visual Design Elements for Data Collection and Panelist Engagement; 2015; Christian, L. M.; Harm, D.; Langer Tesfaye, C.; Wells, T.
- Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method, 4th Edition; 2014; Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., Christian, L. M.
- A Comparison of Results from Surveys by the Pew Research Center and Google Consumer Surveys; 2012; Keeter, S., Christian, L. M.
- Assessing Cell Phone Noncoverage Bias Across Different Topics and Subgroups; 2010; Christian, L. M., Keeter, S., Purcell, K., Smith, A.
- Questionnaire Design Guidelines for Establishment Surveys; 2010; Morrison, R. L., Dillman, D. A., Christian, L. M.
- Using the Internet to Survey Small Towns and Communities: Limitations and Possibilities in the Early...; 2010; Smyth, J. D., Dillman, D. A., Christian, L. M., O'Neill, A. C.
- Where Do We Find You? How to Locate Cell Respondents; 2009; Christian, L. M., Dimock, M.
- Do Landline RDD Samples Adequately Cover the "Wireless Mostly"?; 2009; Dimock, M., Christian, L. M., Keeter, S.
- Open-Ended Questions in Web Surveys: Can Increasing the Size of Answer Boxes and Providing Extra Verbal...; 2009; Smyth, J. D., Dillman, D. A., Christian, L. M., McBride, M.
- The Influence of Topic Interest and Interactive Probing on Responses to Open-Ended Questions in Web...; 2009; Holland, J. L., Christian, L. M.
- Designing Scalar Questions for Web Surveys; 2009; Christian, L. M., Parsons, N. L., Dillman, D. A.
- ...; 2008; Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., Christian, L. M., O'Neill, A. C.
- Internet, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method ; 2008; Dillman, D. A., Christian, L. M., Smyth, J. D.
- Combining Mail and Internet Methods to Conduct Household Surveys of the General Public: A New Methodology...; 2008; Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., Christian, L. M., Oneill, A.
- Context effects in Internet Surveys: New issues and evidence; 2007; Smyth, J. D., Dillman, D. A., Christian, L. M.
- The influence of interactive probing on response to open-ended questions in a web surveys; 2007; Holland, J. L., Christian, L. M.
- Is it Possible to Obtain Equivalent Answers to Scalar Questions in Web and Telephone Surveys?; 2006; Christian, L. M., Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D.
- Open-Ended Questions in Web and Telephone Surveys; 2006; Smyth, J. D., Dillman, D. A., Christian, L. M., McBride, M.
- Comparing Check-All and Forced-Choice Question Formats in Web Surveys: The Role of Satisficing, Depth...; 2005; Smyth, J. D., Dillman, D. A., Christian, L. M., Stern, M. J.
- The Influence of Graphical and Symbolic Language Manipulations on Responses to Self-Administered Questions...; 2004; Christian, L. M., Dillman, D. A.