Web Survey Bibliography
Relevance & Research Question: Respondents quitting surveys prematurely (breakoffs) require special attention in web surveys because they occur more often there than in interviewer-administered questionnaires. In addition, the collection of paradata in web surveys enables a more precise measurement of breakoffs. In our study, we compare: 1) introduction breakoffs (occurring at the start of a questionnaire) vs. 2) questionnaire breakoffs (occurring at some later point in the questionnaire) and define them as separate types. We provide a conceptual framework that relates both breakoff types to the AAPOR Final Disposition Codes for Internet Surveys, and propose monitoring breakoffs in web surveys in greater detail. We discuss the practical applications of this approach in a metastudy of 7,676 web surveys.
Methods & Data: Our sample is based on approximately 1,250,000 responses to 7,676 web surveys, which were conducted from 2009 to 2014 using the 1KA open source survey software. To analyse the impact of survey characteristics and email invitations on introduction breakoffs vs. questionnaire breakoffs (dependent variables), we used linear regression models with the number of pages and items in the questionnaire, as well as whether the survey was disseminated using the survey software’s email invitation system as predictors.
Results: Our empirical study shows that questionnaire length only impacts questionnaire breakoffs, and that email invitations only impact introduction breakoffs. We can on average expect the questionnaire breakoff rate to increase by 0.07 of a percentage point for each additional item in the questionnaire, or by 0.17 of a percentage point for each additional page. The introduction breakoff rate is on average expected to decrease by 16.6 percentage points if the survey software’s email invitations are used. The sample’s mean total breakoff rate is 43%, where the introduction breakoff strongly dominates (about three-quarters of all breakoffs).
Added Value: Separately defining introduction vs. questionnaire breakoff allows for a more accurate analysis of related causes because fundamentally different factors contribute to each type. This holds practical importance for survey methodology, especially in terms of breakoff prevention methods and accurately reporting on various missing data and data quality aspects.
Web survey bibliography - Slovenia (48)
- Overview: Online Surveys; 2017; Vehovar, V.; Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Introduction Breakoffs, Questionnaire Breakoffs and Web Questionnaire Length: A Metastudy ; 2016; Cehovin, G.; Vehovar, V.
- Web Surveys Versus Other Survey Modes: An Updated Meta-analysis Comparing Response Rates ; 2016; Wengrzik, J.; Bosnjak, M.; Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Investigating respondent multitasking in web surveys using paradata; 2016; Sendelbah, A.; Vehovar, V.; Slavec, A.; Petrovcic, A.
- The effect of email invitation elements on response rate in a web survey within an online community; 2016; Petrovcic, A.; Petric, G.; Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Identifying and correcting question-wording problems: the case of Wageindicator; 2015; Slavec, A., Vehovar, V., Tijdens, K. G.
- e-Social Science Perspective on Survey Process: Towards an Integrated Web Questionnaire Development...; 2015; Vehovar, V., Petrovcic, A., Slavec, A.
- Questionnaire length and breakoffs in web surveys: a meta study; 2014; Vehovar, V., Cehovin, G.
- Differences in intrapersonal and interactional empowerment between lurkers and posters in health-related...; 2014; Petrovcic, A., Petric, G.
- About the Institute of Public Health - Data aspect; 2013; Zaletel, M.
- The effect of email invitation characteristics and response reluctance on non-response in web forum...; 2013; Petrovcic, A., Lozar Manfreda, K., Petric, G.
- Different approaches to measure ego-centered social support networks: a meta-analysis; 2013; Hlebec, V., Kogovsek, T.
- Exploring patterns of academic usage: A Google Scholar based study of ESS, EVS, WVS and ISSP academic...; 2013; Malnar, B.
- Data quality of questions sensitive to social-desirability bias in web surveys; 2012; Lozar Manfreda, K., Zajc, N., Berzelak, N., Vehovar, V.
- WebSM Study: Survey software features overview ; 2012; Vehovar, V., Cehovin, G., Kavcic, L., Lenar, J.
- Costs and Errors in Fixed and Mobile Phone Surveys; 2012; Vehovar, V., Slavec, A., Berzelak, N.
- Impact of Fixed Choice Design on Blockmodeling Outcomes; 2012; Znidarsic, A.
- Web Survey Software; 2012; Berzelak, N., Vehovar, V., Slavec, A.
- Surveying general population: What types of experiments are further needed?; 2012; Vehovar, V., Berzelak, N.
- Research design for studying online communities with web surveys; 2012; Petrovcic, A., Petric, G., Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Effect of different stimulus on data quality in online panels; 2012; Zagar, S., Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Web panels in Slovenia; 2012; Lenar, J., Vehovar, V.
- Adaptation of Cognitive Interviews for Web; 2012; Mohorko, A., Hlebec, V.
- Current Projects at University of Ljubljana; 2011; Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Web survey software; 2011; Slavec, A., Berzelak, N., Vehovar, V.
- Web Survey Process within the Concept of eSocial Sciences; 2011; Vehovar, V.
- The Impact of Non-Response Treatments on the Stability of Blockmodels; 2011; Znidarsic, A., Ferligoj, A., Doreian, P.
- The influence of Social Support and Personal Networks on Doctoral Student Performance; 2011; Hlebec, V., Kogovsek, T., Ferligoj, A.
- From Busy Bees to Science Geeks and Party Animals: A Typology of Slovenian Doctoral Students; 2011; Hlebec, V., Kogovsek, T., Ferligoj, A.
- PhD Students’ Research Group Social Capital in Two Countries: A Clustering Approach with Duocentred...; 2011; Coenders, G., Coromina, L., Ferligoj, A., Guia, J.
- Optimization of dual frame telephone survey designs; 2011; Slavec, A., Vehovar, V.
- Nonresponse in Web Surveys ; 2011; Lozar Manfreda, K., Berzelak, N., Vehovar, V.
- Archiving and Re-using Qualitative and Qualitative Longitudinal Data in Slovenia; 2010; Stebe, J., Hudales, J., Kragelj, B.
- National readership surveys: Moving from probability face-to-face surveys to Internet panels; 2009; Vehovar, V., Slavec, A., Petric, I., Sargac, M.
- Relations between functionality and usability of Web survey software tools: An empirical evaluation; 2009; Berzelak, N., Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Optimising survey costs in mixed mode environment; 2009; Vehovar, V., Berzelak, N., Lozar Manfreda, K., Belak, E.
- Effectiveness of incentives in web surveys within mixed-mode systems: An evaluation of errors & costs...; 2009; Lozar Manfreda, K.
- "Mobile phone surveys in mixed mode environment: Balancing costs and errors"; 2009; Vehovar, V.
- Mobile phone surveys in mixed mode environment; 2009; Vehovar, V.
- What Can We Achieve With 5 Euros? Optimization of Survey Data Quality Using Mixed-Mode Approaches; 2008; Berzelak, N., Vehovar, V., Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Measuring ties on online forums; 2008; Ziberna, A., Vehovar, V., Jakulin, A.
- Integration of the web into survey data collection: Balancing costs and errors; 2008; Vehovar, V., Berzelak, N., Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Measuring ego-centered social networks on the web: Questionnaire design issues ; 2008; Vehovar, V., Lozar Manfreda, K., Koren, G., Hlebec, V.
- Collecting Data on Ego-Centered Social Networks on the Web: Methodological Issues; 2004; Lozar Manfreda, K., Vehovar, V., Hlebec, V.
- Nonresponse in Web Surveys; 2002; Vehovar, V., Lozar Manfreda, K., , Batagelj, Z.
- Web survey errors; 2001; Lozar Manfreda, K.
- Virtual Selves and Web Surveys; 2001; Lozar Manfreda, K., Couper, M. P., Vohar, M., Rivas, S., Vehovar, V.
- Internet v Sloveniji - Projekt RIS 1996-1998.; 1998; Vehovar, V.