Web Survey Bibliography
Title Investigating Response Quality in Mobile and Desktop Surveys: A Comparison of Radio Buttons, Visual Analogue Scales and Slider Scales
Author Toepoel, V.; Funke, F.
Year 2014
Access date 16.08.2016
Presentation PDF (184 kB)
Abstract
Mobile devices have smaller displays, touch screens and different methods of navigation compared to desktop computers. This may limit the amount of information that can be placed on a mobile phone screen and it can also affect how a survey is comprehended and completed.
The most traditional rating scales in Web surveys are made from radio buttons. Radio buttons require quite a lot of space. Only a limited number of response options can be presented simultaneously. Otherwise, respondents have to scroll to see all options which may bias ratings.
Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) are operated by point and click: respondents move the mouse arrow to any position on the line and after clicking the mouse button a marker appears. In contrast, slider scales have a handle visible directly on load of the Web page and ratings are 261|Page done by drag and drop. Both scales can either be implemented as discrete or continuous rating scales. A continuous implementation is especially valuable if respondents use mobile devices like smart phone where an efficient use of space is required.
A comparison is needed of radio buttons, VAS, and slider bars to see how they affect usability and data quality on mobile phones compared to regular desktop completion. Finger navigation on mobile phones is less precise than mouse navigation on desktops. This could result in selecting the wrong (not intended) answer option in radio buttons. Slider bars or VAS might be more efficient in selecting the intended response option. We look at response quality indicators, paradata, evaluation of the questionnaire as well as personal characteristics.The usability of question formats is conjectured to be related to the number of scale points. We use an experimental design with question format and 5, 7, 11 and continuous scales. Data are collected in a probability-based panel in the Netherlands.
The most traditional rating scales in Web surveys are made from radio buttons. Radio buttons require quite a lot of space. Only a limited number of response options can be presented simultaneously. Otherwise, respondents have to scroll to see all options which may bias ratings.
Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) are operated by point and click: respondents move the mouse arrow to any position on the line and after clicking the mouse button a marker appears. In contrast, slider scales have a handle visible directly on load of the Web page and ratings are 261|Page done by drag and drop. Both scales can either be implemented as discrete or continuous rating scales. A continuous implementation is especially valuable if respondents use mobile devices like smart phone where an efficient use of space is required.
A comparison is needed of radio buttons, VAS, and slider bars to see how they affect usability and data quality on mobile phones compared to regular desktop completion. Finger navigation on mobile phones is less precise than mouse navigation on desktops. This could result in selecting the wrong (not intended) answer option in radio buttons. Slider bars or VAS might be more efficient in selecting the intended response option. We look at response quality indicators, paradata, evaluation of the questionnaire as well as personal characteristics.The usability of question formats is conjectured to be related to the number of scale points. We use an experimental design with question format and 5, 7, 11 and continuous scales. Data are collected in a probability-based panel in the Netherlands.
Access/Direct link Conference Homepage (abstract) / (full tex)
Year of publication2014
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
Web survey bibliography - Toepoel, V. (27)
- Using experts’ consensus (the Delphi method) to evaluate weighting techniques in web surveys not...; 2017; Toepoel, V.; Emerson, H.
- Data chunking for mobile web: effects on data quality; 2017; Lugtig, P. J.; Toepoel, V.
- Mobile-only web survey respondents; 2016; Lugtig, P. J.; Toepoel, V.; Amin, A.
- Online Surveys are Mixed-Device Surveys. Issues Associated with the Use of Different (Mobile) Devices...; 2016; Toepoel, V.; Lugtig, P. J.
- Doing Surveys Online ; 2016; Toepoel, V.
- The Effects of Adding a Mobile-Compatible Design to the American Life Panel; 2015; Toepoel, V.; Lugtig, P. J.; Amin, A.
- Higher Item Nonresponse Rates Caused by Slider Scales in Web Surveys; 2015; Toepoel, V.; Funke, F.
- Coding Surveys on their Item Characteristics: Reliability Diagnostics; 2015; Bais, F.; Schouten, B.; Toepoel, V.
- Investigating Response Quality in Mobile and Desktop Surveys: A Comparison of Radio Buttons, Visual...; 2014; Toepoel, V.; Funke, F.
- Informing panel members about study results; 2014; Scherpenzeel, A., Toepoel, V.
- Mixed-devices in a probability based panel survey. Effects on survey measurement error; 2014; Toepoel, V., Lugtig, P. J.
- Panel Conditioning in Difficult Attitudinal Questions; 2013; Binswanger, J., Schunk, D., Toepoel, V.
- Mobile devices a way to recruit hard-to-reach groups? Results from a pilot study comparing desk top...; 2013; Toepoel, V., Lugtig, P. J.
- Effects of Incentives in Surveys; 2012; Toepoel, V.
- Building Your Own Online Panel Via E-Mail and Other Digital Media; 2012; Toepoel, V.
- Recruiting A Probability Sample For An Online Panel: Effects Of Contact Mode, Incentives, And Information...; 2012; Scherpenzeel, A., Toepoel, V.
- How Visual Design Affects the Interpretability of Survey Questions; 2011; Toepoel, V., Dillman, D. A.
- Panel Recruitment via Facebook; 2011; Toepoel, V.
- Nonparametric Tests of Panel Conditioning and Attrition Bias in Panel Surveys; 2011; Das, M., Toepoel, V., van Soest, A.
- Response Quantity, Response Quality, and Costs of Building an Online Panel via Social Contacts.; 2011; Toepoel, V.
- Can Verbal Instructions Counteract Visual Context Effects in Web Surveys?; 2011; Toepoel, V., Couper, M. P.
- Words, Numbers and Visual Heuristics in Web Surveys: Is There a Hierarchy of Importance?; 2009; Toepoel, V., Dillman, D. A.
- Pictures in Web Surveys; 2009; Toepoel, V., Couper, M. P.
- Panel Conditioning in Web Surveys: A Comparison between Trained and Fresh Respondents; 2009; Toepoel, V., Das, M., van Soest, A.
- Visual Heuristics and Answer Formats in Rating Scales; 2009; Toepoel, V. Dillman, D. A.
- Design effects in web surveys: comparing trained and fresh respondents; 2008; Toepoel, V., Das, M., van Soest, A.
- Can I use a panel? Panel conditioning and attrition bias in panel surveys; 2007; Das, M., Toepoel, V., van Soest, A.