Web Survey Bibliography
Relevance & Research Question: The lack of interviewer assistance increases response burden in Web surveys and enlarges the risk that respondents misinterpret survey questions. Clarification features and instructions are seen as an effective means of improving question understanding and response behavior. However, clarification features often suffer from limited attention. Thus, they need to be positioned exactly where they are needed (Dillman, 2000). In the past it has been suggested to place clarification features after the question text. By contrast, recent findings from an eye-tracking study indicated that clarification features concerning question meaning are particularly noticed when they are presented before the question text whereas formatting instructions should be placed after the response options (Kunz & Fuchs, 2012). This study aims to answer the question whether optimal positioning of clarification features depends on the cognitive stage addressed by the instructions.
Methods & Data: In four randomized field experimental Web surveys a between-subjects design was implemented to test the effectiveness of three different positions of clarification features related to open frequency and open narrative questions: after the question text, before the question text and after the response options. Clarification features concerning question meaning, the retrieval of a response and the formatting of the response have been tested.
Results: Results indicate that clarification features regardless of the processing stage of the question-answer process addressed are best positioned after the question or after the response options. Instructions placed before the question stem yielded the smallest effect.
Added Value: The use of clarification features in Web surveys has a positive effect on survey responses and helps improve data quality. The optimal position of instructions does not depend on the cognitive stage of the question-answer process addressed. Survey researchers should avoid placing clarification features before the question since this position seems to be least efficient. However, results also indicate that clarification features positioned after the input field are similar effective as compared to clarification features positioned after the question stem.
Web survey bibliography (4086)
- Facebook as a Tool for Respondent Tracing; 2015; Schneider, S. J., Burke-Garcia, A., Thomas, G.
- Social Science Survey Methodology Training: Understanding the Past and Assessing the Present to Shape...; 2015; Jans, M., Meyers, M., Fricker, S.
- Internet Research in Psychology; 2015; Gosling, S. D., Mason, W.
- Handbook of Health Survey Methods; 2015; Johnson, T. P. (Ed.)
- Adapting an interviewer - administered survey for web self - completion in a mixed - mode design ; 2015; Betts, P.; Cubbon, B.
- Future Training of Survey Methodologists; 2015; Kolenikov, S., Jans, M., O'Hare, B. C., Fricker, S.
- Automatic data collection on the Internet (web scraping); 2015; Boettcher, I.
- The Impact of Survey Mode (Mail versus Telephone) and Asking About Future Intentions; 2015; Beebe, T. J.
- Offline recruiting of young people for an online survey - what affects response rates; 2015; Zeglovits, E.
- Finding Item Nonresponse Patterns: Three Internet Survey Experiments Into the Effects of Nonresponse...; 2015; Van De Maat, J.
- Placement of the Linkage Consent Question in a Web Survey of Establishments; 2015; Sakshaug, J. W.; Vicari, B.
- The effectiveness of incentives on recruitment and retention rates: an experiment in a web survey; 2015; Mulder, J.; Douhou, S.
- Using WhatsApp as a Survey Tool; 2015; Ongena, Y. P.; Haan, M.
- The Effects of Adding a Mobile-Compatible Design to the American Life Panel; 2015; Toepoel, V.; Lugtig, P. J.; Amin, A.
- Technology and Reporting of Daily Activities – Considerations for Analysis of Behaviours in Mixed...; 2015; Fisher, K.; Gershuny, J.
- Does the Use of Mobile Devices (Tablets and Smartphones) Affect Survey Quality and Choice Behaviour...; 2015; Glenk, K.; Liebe, U.; Oehlmann, M.
- Smartphones @work; 2015; Bittman, M.
- Measurement Error in Discontinuous Online Survey Panels: Panel Conditioning and Data Quality; 2015; Atkeson, L. R.; Adams, A. N.; Karp, J. A.
- Cheating in web surveys. Evidence from a split-ballot repeated experiment on knowledge questions on...; 2015; Ladini, R.; Vezzoni, C.
- Does Personalized Feedback Increase Respondent Motivation?; 2015; Kroh, M.; Kuhne, S.
- Adapting Grid Questions for Mobile Devices; 2015; de Bruijne, M.; Das, M.; van Soest, A.; Wijnant, A.
- Unplanned use of mobile devices in a probabilistic online panel survey: Patterns of use and implications...; 2015; Poggio, T.; Bosnjak, M.; Bandilla, W.; Weyandt, K.
- The importance of scale direction between different modes; 2015; Agalioti-sgompou, V.
- Impact of response scale direction on survey responses in web and mobile web surveys; 2015; Yan, T.; Keusch, F.
- Comparing response order experiments with probability and non-probability samples; 2015; Yeager, D. S.; Krosnick, J. A.; Silber, H.
- Direction of Response Format in Web and Paper & Pencil Surveys; 2015
- Comparison of different mixed-mode and face - to face surveys - response rates and costs; 2015; Ainsaar, M.; Hendrikson, R.
- Nonresponse and Measurement Bias in Web surveys ; 2015; Metzler, A.; Fuchs, M.
- Correlates of early and late responses to surveys in an online panel; 2015; Douhou, S.; Vis, C.
- Higher Item Nonresponse Rates Caused by Slider Scales in Web Surveys; 2015; Toepoel, V.; Funke, F.
- The effect of response formats on data quality and comparability across online PC and smartphone surveys...; 2015; Cleary, A.; Allum, N.; Kolbas, V.
- Mobile devices in a web panel: what are the results of adjusting questionnaires for smartphones and...; 2015; de Bruijne, M.; Wijnant, A.
- Online Eye-Tracking of Dynamic Advertising Content in (Mobile) Web-Surveys; 2015; Berger, S.
- Deep impact or no impact, evaluating opportunities for a new question type: Statement allocation on...; 2015; Schmidt, S.
- Approaches for Evaluating Online Survey Response Quality; 2015; Gluck, N.
- Coding Surveys on their Item Characteristics: Reliability Diagnostics; 2015; Bais, F.; Schouten, B.; Toepoel, V.
- Predicting Response Times in Web Surveys; 2015; Wenz, A.
- Positioning of Clarification Features in Open Frequency and Open Narrative Questions; 2015; Fuchs, M.; Metzler, A.
- The Role of Device Type and Respondent Characteristics in Internet Panel Survey Breakoff; 2015; McCutcheon, A. L.
- Web Survey Invitations: Design Features to Improve Response Rates; 2015; Hughes, J.; Marlar, J.
- Advance Postcard Mailing Improves Web Panel Survey Participation; 2015; Bertoni, N.; Burkey, A.; Caldaro, M.; Keeter, S.; DiSogra, C.; McGeeney, K.
- Mobile Devices for the Collection of Sensitive Information; 2015; Maitland, A.; Mercer, A. W.; Tourangeau, K.; Williams, Do.
- What Is The Impact of Smartphone Optimization on Long Surveys?; 2015; Cole, J.; Brooks, K.; Sarraf, S.
- Examining the Impact of Mobile First and Responsive Web Design on Desktop and Mobile Respondents; 2015; Tharp, D.
- Can An Importance Prompt Reduce Item Nonresponse For Demographic Items Across Web and Mail Modes?; 2015; Israel, G. D.
- Leveraging Area Probability Sampling in Recruiting Households for Web Surveys; 2015; Copeland, K.; Pedlow, K.; Tupek, A.
- Reducing Coverage Error in a Web Survey of College Students; 2015; Daley, K.; Pacer, J.
- Influences on Response Latency in a Web Survey; 2015; Ackermann, A.; Cheng, H. W.; Howard Ecklund, E.; Kolenikov, S.; Phillips, B. T.
- App vs. Web for Surveys of Smartphone Users; 2015; Igielnik, R.; McGeeney, K.
- Where Does the Platform Matter: The Impact of Geographic Clustering in Device Ownership and Internet...; 2015; Bilgen, I.; English, N.; Stern, M. J.; Ventura, I.