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 - Fuchs, M. (33)
- Dynamic Instructions in Check-All-That-Apply Questions ; 2016; Kunz, T.; Fuchs, M.
- The Mobile Web Only Population: Socio-demographic Characteristics and Potential Bias ; 2016; Fuchs, M.; Metzler, A.
- The use and positioning of clarification features in web surveys; 2016; Metzler, A., Kunz, T., Fuchs, M.
- Recruiting Respondents for a Mobile Phone Panel: The Impact of Recruitment Question Wording on Cooperation...; 2015; Busse, B.; Fuchs, M.
- Nonresponse and Measurement Bias in Web surveys ; 2015; Metzler, A.; Fuchs, M.
- Positioning of Clarification Features in Open Frequency and Open Narrative Questions; 2015; Fuchs, M.; Metzler, A.
- Instant Interactive Feedback in Grid Questions: Reminding Web Survey; 2014; Kunz, T., Fuchs, M.
- Respondent Choice of Survey Mode; 2013; Fuchs, M.
- Using Eye Tracking Data to Understand Respondent's Processing of Rating Scales; 2013; Kunz, T., Fuchs, M.
- Dynamic Visual Design for List-Style Open-Ended Questions in Web Surveys; 2013; Fuchs, M.
- Using interactive feedback to enhance response quality in Web surveys. The case of open-ended questions...; 2013; Emde, M., Fuchs, M.
- Reducing Response Order Effects in Check-All-That-Apply Questions by Use of Dynamic Tooltip Instructions...; 2013; Kunz, T., Fuchs, M.
- Effects of Static versus Dynamic Formatting Instructions for Open-Ended Numerical Questions in Web Surveys...; 2012; Kunz, T., Fuchs, M.
- Exploring Animated Faces Scales in Web Surveys: Drawbacks and Prospects; 2012; Emde, M., Fuchs, M.
- Video enhanced web survey; 2011; Fuchs, M., Kunz, T., Gebhard, F.
- The Coverage Bias of Mobile Web Surveys; 2009; Fuchs, M.
- The Coverage Bias of Mobile Web Surveys Across European Countries ; 2009; Fuchs, M., Busse, B.
- Are people sharing their mobile phones? Selection probabilities in cellular telephone surveys; 2009; Fuchs, M., Busse, B.
- Is a cell phone really a personal device? Results from the first wave of a mobile phone panel on sharing...; 2009; Fuchs, M., Busse, B.
- Are Respondents Sharing their Mobile Phones? Preliminary results based on a mobile phone panel in Germany...; 2009; Fuchs, M.
- Dynamic feedback in open-ended questions: Experiments on the visual design language of Web surveys; 2009; Fuchs, M.
- The relative coverage bias caused by the mobile-only population across Europe; 2009; Fuchs, M.
- The Video-Enhanced Web Survey Data Quality and Cognitive Processing of Questions; 2009; Fuchs, M.
- Gender-of-Interviewer Effects in a Video-Enhanced Web Survey: Results from a Randomized Field Experiment...; 2009; Fuchs, M.
- Mobile web surveys: A preliminary discussion of methodological implications; 2008; Fuchs, M.
- Response Effects in Video-enhanced Web Surveys; 2008; Fuchs, M.
- The relative Coverage Error in Telephone Surveys caused by Mobile-Only Populations across Europe; 2008; Fuchs, M.
- Communicative Channels, Cognitive Processes and Question Understanding: Results from a Randomized Field...; 2008; Fuchs, M.
- Gender-of-Interviewer Effects in Video-Enhanced Web Surveys. Results from a Randomized Field-Experiment...; 2008; Fuchs, M.
- Using Audio and Video Clips in Web Surveys — Feasibility and Impact on Data Quality; 2007; Fuchs, M., Funke, F.
- Cognitive processes when answering online questionnaires; 2002; Fuchs, M.
- Cognitive processes in Web Surveys; 2002; Fuchs, M.
- Technology Effects: Do CAPI or PAPI Interviews Take Longer?; 2000; Fuchs, M., Couper, M. P., Hansen, S. E.