Web Survey Bibliography

Title Web Survey with ABS Sample-A Viable Alternative to RDD?
Author Suzuki, J.
Year 2012
Access date 28.06.2012
Abstract

This Methodological Brief describes our 2011 experience administering a sequential mixed-mode design with Address-Based Sample (ABS) as part of a fourth consecutive annual study of Oregon households’ energy use behaviors and attitudes. For the three previous studies, we completed all interviews by phone using Random Digit Dialing (RDD) of landline and cell phone numbers. Faced with the challenges of reaching Oregon’s growing number of cell-phone-only households (31%, 24% nationwide) and rising phone data collection costs, the research team sought an alternative data collection method. In the first phase of our research, we mailed initial and reminder postcards to 4,000 randomly selected ABS households, inviting them to participate in a web survey. We offered a cash lottery incentive to entice participation. In the second phase, we attempted to reach the ABS web survey non-respondents by phone. Although we received phone numbers for half of the ABS, this was not enough to fill the quotas. For this reason, we conducted additional RDD calls to both landline and cell phone numbers proportionate to the rate of Oregon’s cell-phone-only households. Interestingly, those responding to the web survey from the ABS most closely matched the known demographic characteristics, including phone status (cell-phone-only, landline-only, and cell-andlandline), of our target population. Given Oregon’s high rate of households with internet access (81%, 74% nationwide) and the representativeness of the ABS web survey respondents, this ABS web method could provide a cost-effective alternative to conventional RDD approaches for general household surveys while ensuring coverage of cell-phone-only households. To address non-coverage of households without internet access, a phone survey option can still be included. A key challenge was a low response rate, which can be remedied by increasing the initial mailing and encouraging participation by mailed letter with an enclosed incentive, rather than by postcard.

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Year of publication2012
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
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Web Survey Bibliography - Measurement (2044)

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