Web Survey Bibliography
(a) Relevance & Research Question:
As web surveys are nothing extraordinarily new anymore, the method seems to have lost its novelty factor for respondents. Therefore it becomes more important for surveyors to make sure that their questionnaires can motivate respondents to thoroughly finish the survey. Keusch, Kurz and Penzkofer (2009) showed in an online study with IT-managers that professional questionnaire layout can reduce abortion rate. Also the personal interest for a survey topic has proved to be a highly motivational factor in the decision to participate in web surveys (Galesic 2006; Marcus et al. 2007; Porter/Whitcomb 2005). This new study therefore addresses two research questions:
1. Does the layout of a web questionnaire influence response rate and data quality of web surveys in online access panels?
2. Does the personal interest for the survey topic mediate the relationship between questionnaire layout and response rate/data quality?
(b) Methods & Data:
1.670 members of the Austrian Opinions Online Panel were randomly assigned to participate in one of two web surveys about two different topics (insurances and holidays). The layout of both questionnaires was manipulated. Panelists either saw a web questionnaire with a basic or a professional layout. The influence of questionnaire layout and topic was measured on response rate and different indicators of data quality (response latency, item omission, answer length to open-ended questions, non-differentiation in grids).
(c) Results:
Contrary to our expectations the questionnaire layout had no influence on the response rate in the online access panel. But the results also showed that the professional layout helped to motivate individuals with low personal interest for the topic to stay till the end of the survey.
(d) Added Value:
The results of this study indicate that questionnaire layout seems to play a minor role in online access panels overall, though it can help to motivate people that have low interest in the survey topic.
Conference Homepage (abstract) / (full text)
Web survey bibliography - Keusch, F. (21)
- Web Survey Gamification - Increasing Data Quality in Web Surveys by Using Game Design Elements; 2017; Schacht, S.; Keusch, F.; Bergmann, N.; Morana, S.
- The Impact of Response Scale Direction on Survey Responses in a Mixed-mode Survey ; 2016; Hu, M.; Yan, T.; Keusch, F.
- The Impact of Scale Direction, Alignment and Length on Responses to Rating Scale Questions in a Web...; 2016; Keusch, F.; Liu, M.; Yan, T.
- A Review of Issues in Gamified Surveys; 2015; Keusch, F.; Zhang, Che.
- 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...
- Impact of response scale direction on survey responses in web and mobile web surveys; 2015; Yan, T.; Keusch, F.
- The Effects of the Direction of Rating Scales on Survey Responses in a Telephone Survey; 2015; Keusch, F., Yan, T.
- The Influence of Answer Box Format on Response Behavior on List-Style Open-Ended Questions; 2014; Keusch, F.
- Motives for joining nonprobability online panels and their association with survey participation behavior...; 2014; Keusch, F., Batinic, B., Mayerhofer, W.
- The Influence of Answer Box Format, Personal Topic Interest, and Respondent Characteristics on Response...; 2013; Keusch, F.
- The Direction of Rating Scales and Its Influence on Response Behavior in Web Surveys; 2012; Keusch, F.
- Open-ended Questions in Web Surveys: One Large vs. Ten Small Boxes; 2012; Keusch, F.
- The influence of social desirability on data quality in face-to-face and web surveys; 2012; Keusch, F.
- The influence of personality traits and motives for joining on participation behavior in online panels...; 2011; Keusch, F.
- Does the direction of Likert-type scales influence response behavior in web surveys?; 2011; Keusch, F.
- The Influence Of The Direction Of Likert-Type Scales In Web Surveys On Response Behavior In Different...; 2011; Keusch, F.
- Does Making The Survey Topic More Salient Lead To An Expert Bias? – The Influence of Announcing...; 2010; Keusch, F., Mayerhofer, W., Weilbuchner, N., Jungreithmaier, S.
- Online Access Panels: A detailed look at different Ways of Entering, their Costs and Participation Behavior...; 2010; Führer, R., Keusch, F.
- Can a professional questionnaire layout make up for a boring topic? The mediating role of topic interest...; 2010; Keusch, F., Mayerhofer, W., Jungreithmaier, S., Weilbuchner, N., Fuehrer, R., Kling, H.
- Maßnahmen zur Steigerung der Responserate bei listenbasierten Stichproben in Webbefragungen; 2009; Keusch, F.
- Increasing response rates in list based samples; 2009; Keusch, F., Kurz, H., Penzkofer, P.