Web Survey Bibliography
On-line data are relatively cheap, fast and easy to collect internationally, and are thus comparable across countries. Data comparability is crucial for social and behavioural scientists in the current context of globalization and economic interdependence. Despite its advantages and popularity, web-based data collection research faces important methodological challenges that must be addressed to provide web-based data collection with the scientific validity that traditional research methods already enjoy.
Webdatanet network was established in 2011 in order to fulfil that goal by constituting a multidisciplinary network of web-based data collection experts - (web) survey methodologists, psychologists, sociologists, linguists, economists, Internet scientists, media researchers and public opinion researchers - to accumulate and synthesize knowledge of methodological problems and their potential solutions. At present, the network is composed by around 150 researchers from more than 30 countries from the European Union and abroad.
Since its inception, the Action has organized 6 biannual meetings, 4 independent workshops, 1 Training School and 17 scientific missions. As a result of the networking process, 26 Task Forces and Small Groups have been established within the 3 Working Groups: WG1 Quality issues of web surveys; WG2 Innovations in web-based data collection; WG3 Guidelines, codes, standards, implementation and dissemination. A new general concept, Webdatametrics, has emerged from the existing variety of disciplines related to web data collection methods and analyses. By putting this knowledge together, Webdatametricians aim at generating new knowledge to take advantage of ICT to collect data for scientific purposes.
Other achievements of the Action refer to the establishment of interactions with official bodies (i.e. World Bank, ILO), statistical offices (i.e. ESSnet project) or private sector companies (i.e. Google, TNS, eNET). Additionally, a Master programme in Webdatametrics will be introduced in 2014 as a response to the current educational demand for the formation of future experts in web-based data collection. Webdatanet has also fostered the collaboration between the four main probability-based panels of Europe (the Dutch LISS panel, the French ELIPPS panel, the German GIP and the new GESIS panel) and the National Centre for Research Methods of the UK (GenPopWeb).
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