As the field of survey research looks for a sustainable future, greater emphasis is being given to conducting Web-based surveys. However little is known about the pattern of response for these surveys. The question our presentation will address is whether, in a Web-based survey of a closed population, the percentage of respondents’ providing a positive rating changes by the timing of when the person responds. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), to improve the quality of their work and comply with the Government Accountability and Reporting Act (GPRA), conducts a Web-based survey of patent examiners twice a year. The survey is designed to gauge the satisfaction of the patent examiners with the internal and external factors that impact their ability to provide high-quality patent examinations. According to Dillman (2009) “The optimal timing sequence for Web surveys has not, we believe, been determined yet. Moreover the timing will depend on the nature of the survey and the population being surveyed.” In practice, many Web surveys are fielded for two weeks with an initial invitation message followed by a reminder one week later. However, despite our wanting to adhere to that schedule, either of the following often occurs:
 The survey field period is shortened. For example, there is a meeting next week and we need to close the study early and present the results.
 The survey field period is extended. For example, you received a low response rate and feel that by keeping the study open longer you might increase it to more respectable level. We will explore how our results would differ with alternate Web survey field times.
This research is a continuation of work that was presented at a regional evaluation conference in New Jersey.