Notice: the WebSM website has not been updated since the beginning of 2018.

Web Survey Bibliography

Title Evaluating a Modular Design Approach to Collecting Survey Data Using Text Messages
Year 2016
Access date 03.06.2016
Abstract
We present analyses of data from a pilot study in Nepal that was designed to provide an initial examination of the errors and costs associated with an innovative methodology for survey data collection. We embedded a randomized experiment within a long-standing panel survey, collecting data on a small number of items with varying sensitivity from a probability sample of 450 young Nepalese adults. Survey items ranged from simple demographics to indicators of substance abuse and mental health problems. Sampled adults were randomly assigned to one of three different modes of data collection: 1) a standard one-time telephone interview, 2) a “single sitting” back-and-forth interview with an interviewer using text messaging, and 3) an interview using text messages within a modulardesign framework (which generally involves breakingthe survey response task into distinct parts over a short period of time). Respondents in the modular group were asked to respond (via text message exchanges with an interviewer) to only one questionon a given day, rather than complete the entire survey. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses demonstrate that the two text messaging modes increased the probability of disclosing sensitive information relative to the telephone mode, and that respondents in the modular design group, while responding less frequently, found the survey to be significantly easier. Further, those who responded in the modular group were not unique in terms available covariates, suggesting that the reduced item response rates only introduced limited nonresponse bias. We will conclude by discussing important future research directions aimed at 1) enhancing this methodology, 2) applying it with other modes of data collection (e. g., web surveys), and 3) continuously evaluating its effectiveness from a total survey error perspective.
 
Access/Direct link

Conference Homepage (abstract)

Year of publication2016
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
Print

Web survey bibliography - The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) 71st Annual Conference, 2016 (107)

Page:
Page: