Web Survey Bibliography
Popularity of web surveys was largely fostered by a development of dedicated software applications. Web survey software tools have, over the last ten years, evolved from primarily command-line-based tools to easy-to-use applications with graphical user interfaces. These tools have become an important market segment, with many applications on the market, differing in terms of functionality, complexity and costs. However, with all software applications a general tradeoff between their user-friendliness (usability) and powerfulness may exist. Feature-rich solutions may require a high amount of learning and/or even some programming skills, while user-friendly and intuitive applications may offer too few features. In our study, we investigate whether such tradeoff exists also for web survey software.
In the first part, we provide an overview of software tools available on the market. We analyze availability of selected basic features of the tools included in the WebSM database. In addition, we re-analyze a sample of 72 software tools that were already included in a study conducted in 2006. This offers some empirical insight into a development of these applications.
The main part of the paper is devoted to empirical analysis of relations between powerfulness and user-friendliness of web survey software. Several evaluators were asked to implement a standardized web survey in each of the 27 selected tools. After implementing the questionnaire in each software tool, the evaluators were asked to complete the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI) questionnaire, aimed at measuring the user satisfaction component of usability. In addition, computers of the evaluators were equipped with a special software, measuring time and number of clicks and keystrokes separately for each part of the test survey project. Two other evaluators independently evaluated the tools according to a comprehensive list of available features. On the basis of the collected data, analysis of relations between powerfulness and different components of usability is conducted.
The results of the analysis serve for a final discussion of the role of different usability aspects in selecting web survey software for different purposes and in different organizational specifics, including survey implementation needs and policies, available resources, technical staff and knowledge.
Web survey bibliography - Internet Survey Methodology workshop 2009 (21)
- Pictures in Web Surveys; 2009; Toepoel, V., Couper, M. P.
- National readership surveys: Moving from probability face-to-face surveys to Internet panels; 2009; Vehovar, V., Slavec, A., Petric, I., Sargac, M.
- Why don’t all Businesses report on Web?; 2009; Haraldsen, G.
- An experiment on the effects of non-response reweighting on estimators' precision in a web survey; 2009; Fabrizi, E., Biffignandi, S., Toninelli, D.
- Dynamic feedback in open-ended questions: Experiments on the visual design language of Web surveys; 2009; Fuchs, M.
- Effects of monetary incentives on participation in a two-wave online survey; 2009; Bandilla, W., Haas, I.
- Response Order and Response Distributions: The Format of the Response Options in a Web Survey; 2009; Tourangeau, R., Conrad, F. G., Couper, M. P., Balter, O.
- Anticipated estimation from a panel Web survey: the case of the presence of tourists in the Province...; 2009; Scaffai, G., Pratesi, M.
- Statistical analysis of on-line courses; 2009; Baelter, O.
- Methodological approaches of Web 2.0; 2009; Neubarth, W.
- Is this e-mail relevant? An eyetracking experiment on how potential respondents read e-mail invitations...; 2009; Kaczmirek, L., Faaß, T., Galesic, M.
- File transfer with built-in editing features; 2009; Erikson, J.
- From paper to internet: Design challenges when mixing modes in longitudinal surveys; 2009; Stax, H.-P., Thomsen, P.
- The Use of Audit Trails in Business Web Surveys; 2009; Snijkers, G., Morren, M.
- Yes, VASs can! Increasing the accuracy of survey measurements with computerized visual analogue scales...; 2009; Funke, F., Reips, U.-D.
- Using Mail Contact to Sample and Encourage Submission of Questionnaire Answers Over the Internet; 2009; Dillman, D. A., Messer, B. L., Millar, M. M.
- Improving the Design of Complex Matrix Questions; 2009; Couper, M. P., Tourangeau, R., Conrad, F. G.
- Use of Web surveys in Official Statistics; 2009; Bethlehem, J.
- Relations between functionality and usability of Web survey software tools: An empirical evaluation; 2009; Berzelak, N., Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Turning Grid Questions into Sequences in Business Web Surveys; 2009; Haraldsen, G., Bergstrøm, Y.
- The Electronic Questionnaire Experience in Business Surveys: mode effects on quality and on response...; 2009; Biffignandi, S., Siesto, G., Zeli, A.