Web Survey Bibliography
Relevance & Research Question: Open-ended questions are often used to gather short numeric information in self-administered web questionnaires. Respondents are encouraged to enter numbers, quantities or frequencies into input fields, most often without any computerized formatting constraints predominantly in order to prevent item nonresponse. However, the absence of any formatting restrictions encourages large variances in answers deviating from the desired format, including value ranges, estimations, alphanumeric supplements, or even different measuring units which affect data quality negatively, and increase the efforts for data cleansing and preparation. Thus, concise and clear formatting instructions are needed to guide respondents providing answers in the desired format. Considering the fact that instructions are likely to be ignored the question arises how different modes of verbal instructions and visual cues can be applied to improve the impact of formatting instructions, and finally to enhance data quality.
Methods & Data: In a between-subjects field experiment conducted among university freshman students in an opt-in panel (N=670), we tested different visual modes of formatting instructions in open-ended numeric questions: (1) conventional instruction in a static manner, (2) dynamic instruction in a tooltip appearing when the mouse cursor hovers over the input field, and (3) symbolic instruction in terms of pre-defined default values in the input field indicating the desired response format. The effectiveness of each instruction mode was determined by the proportion of formally correct answers.
Results: Findings indicated that the implementation of dynamic formatting elements in terms of tooltips or default values had no positive effect on an improvement of response quality compared to conventional static formatting instructions. Even a combination of tooltips and pre-filled symbols could not achieve a significant increase in correctly formatted answers compared to the sole presentation of a fixed instruction.
Added Value: The results indicated that static formatting instructions should not be replaced hastily without examining the effect of dynamic elements sufficiently. However, initial findings suggested the potential of dynamic formatting instructions in enhancing the positive effect of conventional instructions.
GOR Homepage (abstract) / (presentation)
Web survey bibliography (4086)
- Is Pretesting Established Among Online Survey Tool Users?; 2012
- An Evaluation of Two Non-Reactive Web Questionnaire Pretesting Methods; 2012; Lenzner, T.
- Recommendations for implementing online surveys and simple experiments in social and behavioural research...; 2012; Hewson, C. M.
- High potential for mobile Web surveys: Findings from a survey representative for German Internet users...; 2012; Funke, F., Wachenfeld, A.
- A taxonomy of paradata for web surveys and computer assisted self interviewing (Casi); 2012; Callegaro, M.
- Can Social Media Research replace traditional research methods?; 2012; Faber, T., Einhorn, M., Hofmann, O., Loeffler, M.
- Bad Boy Matrix Question – Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?; 2012; Tress, F.
- Matrix vs. Single Question Formats in Web Surveys: Results from a large scale experiment; 2012; Klausch, L. T., de Leeuw, E. D., Hox, J., de Jongh, A., Roberts , A.
- Effects of Static versus Dynamic Formatting Instructions for Open-Ended Numerical Questions in Web Surveys...; 2012; Kunz, T., Fuchs, M.
- FamilyVote – Conducting online surveys with children and families; 2012; Geissler, H., Peeters, H.
- The influence of social desirability on data quality in face-to-face and web surveys; 2012; Keusch, F.
- Reducing the Threat of Sensitive Questions in Online Surveys; 2012; Couper, M. P.
- Using the Internet to Administer More Realistic Vignette Experiments; 2012; Caro, F. G., Ho, T., McFadden, D., Gottlieb, A. S., Yee, C., Chan, T.,
- Succinct Survey Measures of Web-Use Skills; 2012; Hargittai, E., Hsieh, Y. P.
- Data Use: Trying to bring the numbers alive ; 2012; Rung, J., Woll, B., Edstrom, C.
- The impact of two-stage highly interesting questions on completion rates and data quality in online...; 2012; Hansen, J. M., Smith, S. M.
- User models as revealed in web-based research services; 2012; Bodoff, D., Raban, D.
- When to Use What Research Design ; 2012; Vogt, W. P., Gardner, D. C., Haeffele, L. M.
- Assessing the Quality of Survey Data ; 2012; Blasius, J.
- Collecting, Managing, and Assessing Data Using Sample Surveys; 2012; Stopher, P.
- Designing and Doing Survey Research; 2012; Andres, L.
- The Impact of Visual Design in Survey Cover Letters on Response and Web Take-Up Rates; 2012; Mockovak, W.
- Validation of an online questionnaire measure of the relative reinforcing value of food; 2012; Reslan, S., Saules, K. K., Greenwald, M. K.
- Monitoring Validated Quality of Life Outcomes After Prostatectomy: Initial Description of Novel Online...; 2012; Sebrow, D., Lavery, H. J., Brajtbord, J. S., Hobbs, A., W., Levinson, A. W., Samadi, D. B.
- Who should supervise students during self-report interviews? A controlled experiment on response behavior...; 2012; Walser, S., Killias, M.
- Web-Based Recruiting for Health Research Using a Social Networking Site: An Exploratory Study; 2012; Fenner, Y., Garland, P., Moore, E. E., Jayasinghe, Y., Fletcher, A., Tabrizi, S. N., Gunasekaran, B.,...
- Exploring Animated Faces Scales in Web Surveys: Drawbacks and Prospects; 2012; Emde, M., Fuchs, M.
- Smart Surveys for Smart Phones: Exploring Various Approaches for Conducting Online Mobile Surveys via...; 2012; Buskirk, T. D., Andrus, C.
- Use of incentives and web-based administration for surveying student alcohol and substance use in an...; 2012; Onoye, J. M., Goebert, D., Nishimura, S.
- Reminders in Web-Based Data Collection: Increasing Response at the Price of Retention?; 2012; Goeritz, A., Crutzen, R.
- Does survey format influence self-disclosure on sensitive question items?; 2012; Kays, K., Gathercoal, K., Buhrow, W.
- Why semantic differentials in Web-based research should be made from visual analogue scales and not...; 2012; Funke, F., Reips, U.-D.
- Using Webinar Polls to Collect Online Survey Data: The Case of a Behavioral Finance Problem; 2012; Sahu, C.
- Non-Response Bias with a Web-Based Survey of College Students: Differences from a Classroom Survey About...; 2012; Wells, W., Cavanaugh, M. R., Nobles, M. R., Bouffard, Je. A.
- The cost-effectiveness of cash versus lottery incentives for a web-based, stated-preference community...; 2012; Gajic, A., Cameron, D., Hurley, J.
- Multiple Sources of Nonobservation Error in Telephone Surveys: Coverage and Nonresponse; 2011; Peytchev, A.; Carley-Baxter, L. R.; Black, M. C.
- Online Questionnaires for Outbreak Investigations; 2011; Parry, A. E.; Johnson, D. R.; Byron-Gray, K.; Raupach, J. C. A.; McPherson, M.
- Inventory of published research: Response burden measurement and reduction in official business statistics...; 2011; Giesen, D. & Snijkers, G. (Eds.), Bavdaz, M., Bergstrom, Y., Gravem, D. F., Haraldsen, G., Hedlin, D...
- Effects of speeding on satisficing in Mixed-Mode Surveys; 2011; Bathelt, S., Bauknecht, J.
- Using Research-Based Practices to Increase Response Rates of Web-Based Surveys; 2011; Perkins, R. A.
- Using break-offs in web interviews for predicting web response in mixed mode surveys; 2011; Beukenhorst, D.
- Web panels in Slovenia; 2011; Lenar, J.
- Traditional and non-traditional treatments for autism spectrum disorder with seizures: an on-line survey...; 2011; Frye, R. E., Sreenivasula, S., Adams, J. B.
- Understanding the new digital divide—A typology of Internet users in Europe; 2011; Brandtzæg, P.B.; Heim, J.; Karahasanoviæ, A.
- Patients’ attitudes toward side effects of antidepressants: an Internet survey; 2011; Kikuchi, T., Uchida, H., Suzuki, T., Watanabe, K., Kashima, H.
- Web-based or paper-based surveys: a quandary?; 2011; Bennett, L., Sid Nair, C.
- Refining the Total Survey Error Perspective; 2011; Smith, T. W.
- ELIPSS: Étude Longitudinale par Internet Pour les Sciences Sociales; 2011; Legleye, S., Lesnard, L.
- Less questions, more data: Revitalizing the european currency in single source affluent audience measurement...; 2011; Hartman, H.
- Linking website exposure data to survey data: A single-source solution; 2011; Krahn, J., Landi, J., Melton, E.