Web Survey Bibliography
Background: Health knowledge and literacy are among the main determinants of health. Assessment of these issues via Web-based surveys is growing continuously. Research has suggested that approximately one-fifth of respondents submit cribbed answers, or cheat, on factual knowledge items, which may lead to measurement error. However, little is known about methods of discouraging cheating in Web-based surveys on health knowledge. Objective: This study aimed at exploring the usefulness of imposing a survey time limit to prevent help-seeking and cheating. Methods: On the basis of sample size estimation, 94 undergraduate students were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to complete a Web-based survey on nutrition knowledge, with or without a time limit of 15 minutes (30 seconds per item); the topic of nutrition was chosen because of its particular relevance to public health. The questionnaire consisted of two parts. The first was the validated consumer-oriented nutrition knowledge scale (CoNKS) consisting of 20 true/false items; the second was an ad hoc questionnaire (AHQ) containing 10 questions that would be very difficult for people without health care qualifications to answer correctly. It therefore aimed at measuring cribbing and not nutrition knowledge. AHQ items were somewhat encyclopedic and amenable to Web searching, while CoNKS items had more complex wording, so that simple copying/pasting of a question in a search string would not produce an immediate correct answer. Results: A total of 72 of the 94 subjects started the survey. Dropout rates were similar in both groups (11%, 4/35 and 14%, 5/37 in the untimed and timed groups, respectively). Most participants completed the survey from portable devices, such as mobile phones and tablets. To complete the survey, participants in the untimed group took a median 2.3 minutes longer than those in the timed group; the effect size was small (Cohen’s r=.29). Subjects in the untimed group scored significantly higher on CoNKS (mean difference of 1.2 points, P=.008) and the effect size was medium (Cohen’s d=0.67). By contrast, no significant between-group difference in AHQ scores was documented. Unexpectedly high AHQ scores were recorded in 23% (7/31) and 19% (6/32) untimed and timed respondents, respectively, very probably owing to “e-cheating”. Conclusions: Cribbing answers to health knowledge items in researcher-uncontrolled conditions is likely to lead to overestimation of people’s knowledge; this should be considered during the design and implementation of Web-based surveys. Setting a time limit alone may not completely prevent cheating, as some cheats may be very fast in Web searching. More complex and contextualized wording of items and checking for the “findability” properties of items before implementing a Web-based health knowledge survey may discourage help-seeking, thus reducing measurement error. Studies with larger sample sizes and diverse populations are needed to confirm our results.
Web survey bibliography - Italy (57)
- Web Health Monitoring Survey: A New Approach to Enhance the Effectiveness of Telemedicine Systems; 2017; Romano, M. F.; Sardella, M. V.; Alboni, F.
- Web Health Monitoring Survey: A New Approach to Enhance the Effectiveness of Telemedicine Systems ; 2016; Romano, M. F.; Sardella, M. V.; Alboni, F.
- Recommended Practices for the design of business surveys questionnaires; 2016; Macchia, S.
- Cheating in web surveys. Evidence from a split-ballot repeated experiment on knowledge questions on...; 2015; Ladini, R.; Vezzoni, C.
- 640 Current trends in management of high-risk prostate cancer in Europe: Results of a web-based survey...; 2014; Briganti, A., Isbarn, H., Ost, P., Ploussard, G., Sooriakumaran, P., Van Den Bergh, R.C.N., Van Oort...
- The invisible Interviewer: Old and New Methodological Issues in Online Research; 2014; Niero, M.
- The need of and the demand for completing surveys on mobile devices; 2014; Toninelli, D., Revilla, M., Ochoa, C.
- Survey participation via mobile devices in a probability-based online-panel: Prevalence, determinants...; 2014; Poggio, T., Bosnjak, M., Weyandt, K.
- Web-respondent-driven sampling; 2014; Bianchi, A., Biffignandi, S., Artaz, R.
- Prioritisation of alternatives with analytical hierarchy process plus response latency and web survey...; 2014; Barone, S. Errore, A., Lombardo, A.
- Modelling ”don’t know” responses in rating scales; 2014; Manisera, M., Zuccolotto, P.
- How much is shorter CAWI questionnaire VS CATI questionnaire?; 2014; Bartoli, B.
- Online mobile surveys in Italy: coverage and other methodological challenges; 2014; Poggio, T.
- Migraine and pregnancy: an internet survey; 2013; Allais, G. et al.
- The internet user profile of Italian families of patients with rare diseases: a web survey; 2013; Tozzi, A. E., Mingarelli, R., Agricola, E., Gonfiantini, M., Pandolfi, E., Carloni, E., Gesualdo, F.,...
- Web Surveys and Official Statistics: Perspectives and Cases ; 2013; Martelli, B.
- The challenge of a mixed-mode design survey and new IT tools application: the case of the Italian Structure...; 2013; Cardinaleschi, S., De Santis, S., Rocci, F., Spinelli, V.
- The Design of the Online Questionnaire of the Italian Population Census ; 2013; Tininini, L., Virgillito, A.
- The behaviour of respondents while filling in a web questionnaire: the case of the Italian business...; 2013; Masselli, M., Nuccitelli, A.
- A web-based Census of services: an ISTAT evolutionary study ; 2013; Cesaro, A., Palazzi, B., Paterniti, M., Ranaldi, P.
- A web based management system for addressing census complexity: the Italian experience; 2013; Bruno, M., Giacummo, M., Silipo, M., Vaste, G.
- Online Survey on Twitter: A Urological Experience; 2013; Dal Moro, F.
- Web Panel Representativeness; 2013; Bianchi, A., Biffignandi, S.
- Measuring the impact of the Web: Rasch modelling for survey evaluation; 2013; Annoni, P., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Farhan, H.
- Responsive design for mixed-mode panel data; 2013; Bianchi, A., Biffignandi, S.
- Adjusting for bias in a mixed-mode CAWI survey on University students ; 2013; Clerici, R., Giraldo, A.
- Comparative analysis of data from web and face-to-face surveys. A case study on e-commerce in young...; 2013; Cappello, C., Pellegrino, D.
- The Relation of Survey Topic and Participation Behavior. Analyzing Unit Nonresponse using web-generated...; 2013; Zillmann, D., Schmitz, A., Blossfeld, H. P.
- A walking exercise on a tightrope: trying to balance coverage, probabilistic sampling and the costs...; 2013; Poggio, T.
- Norme di qualita' Assirm (Assirm quality rules]; 2012
- Social research in online context: methodological reflections on web surveys from a case study; 2012; Pandolfini, V.
- Survey Data Collection and Integration; 2012; Davino, C., Fabbris, L.
- Online Data Collection in the Agro-Food Sector; 2012; Biffignandi, S., Artaz, R.
- Mobile Survey Participation Rates in Commercial Market Research: A Meta-Analysis; 2012; Bosnjak, M., Poggio, T., Becker, K. R., Funke, F., Wachenfeld, A., Fischer, B.
- Panel retention rate and data quality: experimental results drawing on Reciprocity design; 2012; Biffignandi, S., Artaz, R.
- Web Surveys: Methodological Problems and Research Perspectives; 2012; Biffignandi, S., Bethlehem, J.
- A Generalized System for Aided Development and Monitoring of Web Surveys; 2011; Torelli, R.
- Using survey data collection as a tool for improving the survey process; 2011; Biffignandi, S., Perani, G., Laureti, A.
- Facebook sampling methods: some methodological proposals; 2011; Macrì, E., Tessitore, C.
- Errors within web-based surveys: a comparison between two different tools for the analysis of tourist...; 2011; Polizzi, G., Oliveri, A. M.
- Use of new technologies in social research: Self-administered mobile surveys; 2011; Bosnjak, M.
- Modeling non-sampling errors and participation in Web surveys; 2010; Biffignandi, S.
- Web-based macroseismic survey in Italy: method validation and results; 2010; Sbarra P., Tosi, P., De Rubeis, V.
- Web-based versus paper-based data collection for the evaluation of teaching activity: empirical evidence...; 2010; Lalla, M., Ferrari, D.
- Web based macroseismic survey: fast information exchange and elaboration of seismic intensity effects...; 2009; De Rubeis, V., Sbarra P., Sorrentino, D., Tosi, P.
- Factors Contributing to Participation in Web‐based Surveys among Italian University Graduates; 2009; Cimini, C., Girottu, C., Gasperoni, G.
- Integration of different data collection techniques using the propensity score; 2009; Camillo, F., Conti, V., Ghiselli, S.
- Modelling online survey participation among Italian university graduates ; 2009; Cimini, C., Girotti, C., Gasperoni, G.
- Coverage rates of mobile telephones and the Internet in Italy ; 2009; Fabbris, L., Gorelli, S.
- An experiment on the effects of non-response reweighting on estimators' precision in a web survey; 2009; Fabrizi, E., Biffignandi, S., Toninelli, D.