Notice: the WebSM website has not been updated since the beginning of 2018.

Web Survey Bibliography

Title Break-off and attrition in the GIP amongst technologically experienced and inexperienced participants
Year 2013
Access date 26.03.2013
Abstract

Relevance & Research Question:
We examine break-off and attrition in the German Internet Panel (GIP) and the role that technology place in panelists’ response propensities.
Methods & Data:
The GIP is a new large-scale online panel based on a probability sample of individuals living within households in Germany. In 2012 households were approached offline, with a short face-to-face interview. Subsequently, all household members were invited to participate in the online interviews. To minimize non-coverage bias, households without access to the internet were provided with the necessary hardware and/or a broadband internet connection. Once registered online participants receive email invitations to bi-monthly GIP interviews of 20-25 minutes in length on topics ranging from political preferences to economic behavior.
As with any longitudinal survey we find break-off and attrition in our panel. We analyze the demographic and technological characteristics of respondents leaving the panel during the initial set-up phase and after the first three interviews. In addition, we assess the processes leading to break-off in the fielded interviews.
Results:
First results indicate that participants from household without a computer or broadband internet prior to being recruited into the GIP have lower attrition rates in the set-up phase of the panel.
Approximately 6% of GIP panelists participate in each wave via mobile devices. This figure is comparable with mobile rates on other online panels at LINK. The completion rate in the GIP is with 95.7% (in the first interview after registration) very high and mobile participants are not more likely to break off than those completing the survey on a desktop or laptop (97% completion rate).
Added Value:
The probability-based face-to-face recruited online panel of the GIP is the first of its kind in Germany. Investigating the processes leading to break-off and attrition among technologically experienced and inexperienced panelists adds to the discussion of the data quality and representativeness of online panels. The presentation will look into both statistical correlations of break-off and attrition and investigate evidence from the GIP hotline to explain why people drop out of the survey.

Access/Direct link

GOR Homepage (abstract)

Year of publication2013
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
Print