Scientific online surveys that are carried out for market and social research purposes are subject to the same generally accepted rules of professional conduct and quality standards as surveys that are conducted by means of faceto-face, mail or telephone interviews. As with all other types of survey, the specific experience and knowledge of
a research agency in the particular field of research and the scientific qualifications of its staff are fundamental requirements for ensuring quality in the execution of online surveys, too. Beyond this, a suitable “philosophy of quality” on the part of the research agency is essential, i.e. an appreciation of the need for and the endeavour to achieve high scientific quality in the research results. The rules of professional conduct in German market and social research are set out in the “ICC/ESOMAR International Code of Marketing and Social Research Practice” along with the “Declaration for the Territory of the Federal Republic of Germany” which precedes the Code, and in the various guidelines issued for German market and social research. With respect to the ethically and legally relevant issues when conducting online surveys, particular attention should be paid to the “Guidelines for Online Surveys”. The scientific quality standards are documented in the „Standards for Quality Assurance in Market and Social Research” jointly published by the associations of German market and social research. The present “Standards for Quality Assurance for Online Surveys” put the general quality standards for market and social research in concrete terms for online surveys as a specific technique for collecting data. In view of the rapid development of information technologies, the following discussion must be rechecked at frequent intervals where technical details of the execution of online surveys are concerned, and where necessary be adapted to take account of these developments. On the other hand, the fundamental scientific demands made of online surveys and other data collection instruments used in market and social research remain largely unaffected by the developments in information technology. The „Standards for Quality Assurance for Online Surveys” describe and document the relevant quality criteria for the execution of scientific online surveys. Thus they aim to enable clients to fundamentally identify and compare the quality of different research proposals.