Web Survey Bibliography
Title Uncertainty In Web Based Polling
Author Greenberg, A., Bocian, M.
Year 2000
Access date 07.09.2004
Full text pdf (88k)
Abstract Ever since Converse (1964) raised the issue of “non-attitudes” in his classic, “The Nature
of Belief Systems in the Mass Public,” scholars have grappled with questions about how to
handle expressions of uncertainty in survey research. Media and political pollsters customarily
resolve this issue by compelling respondents to make choices about policy and politics regardless
of their level of certainty, interest or knowledge. Interviewers, in fact, are trained to probe
survey respondents to elicit answers and this social interaction has a profound effect on results.
In the Internet format, the absence of an interviewer means that researchers have to make choices
about how to permit respondents to express uncertainty. Using a series of experiments with
InterSurvey’s Internet-based panel, we explore different strategies for reducing the incidence of
the “don’t know” response and the consequences of such strategies for the substantive
interpretation of results. We show that respondents will answer questions in the absence of
direct social pressure. We argue, however, that such strategies mask real uncertainty about
complex public policy issues and political events such as vote preference in the early stages of a
presidential campaign.
of Belief Systems in the Mass Public,” scholars have grappled with questions about how to
handle expressions of uncertainty in survey research. Media and political pollsters customarily
resolve this issue by compelling respondents to make choices about policy and politics regardless
of their level of certainty, interest or knowledge. Interviewers, in fact, are trained to probe
survey respondents to elicit answers and this social interaction has a profound effect on results.
In the Internet format, the absence of an interviewer means that researchers have to make choices
about how to permit respondents to express uncertainty. Using a series of experiments with
InterSurvey’s Internet-based panel, we explore different strategies for reducing the incidence of
the “don’t know” response and the consequences of such strategies for the substantive
interpretation of results. We show that respondents will answer questions in the absence of
direct social pressure. We argue, however, that such strategies mask real uncertainty about
complex public policy issues and political events such as vote preference in the early stages of a
presidential campaign.
Year of publication2000
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
Web survey bibliography - 2000 (46)
- Pollsters Inside the Box; 2000; Clark, R.
- The threat of satisficing in surveys: The shortcuts respondents take in answering questions; 2000; Krosnick, J. A.
- Designing Web Usability; 2000; Nielsen, J.
- Comparison of telephone, mail, Web, and IVR surveys of drugs and alcohol use among University of Georgia...; 2000; Bason, J. J.
- The measurement of personal values in survey research: A test of alternative rating procedures; 2000; McCarty, J. A., Shrum, L. J.
- Model of behavioral intention. A two-factor motivational model of behavioral intention; 2000; Thomas, R. K.
- DMS/AOL's Opinion Place expands research services to offer broadest online representation available...; 2000
- Research Report: The Evolving Relationship Between General and Specific Computer Self-Efficacy—...; 2000; Agarwal, R., Sambamurthy, V., Stair, R.
- Old, new make up today's surveys.; 2000; James, D.
- Software Comes Down to Earth; 2000; Macer, T.
- Using Web questionnaires for judgement and decisoin making research; 2000; Baron, J., Siepmann, M.
- Tell me, what did you see? The stimulus on computers; 2000; Krantz, J. H.
- Computer software and qualitative analysis: trends, issues and resources; 2000; Lee, R. M., Esterhuizen, L.
- Web and Mail Survey: Comparison on a Large-Scale Project; 2000; Kennedy, J. M., Kuh, G. D., Li, J., Hayek, J., Inghram, J., Bannister, N., Segar, K.
- Method and Representation in Internet-Based Survey Tools: Mobility, Community, and Cultural Identity...; 2000; Witte, J. C., Amoroso, L. M., Howard, P. E. N.
- Developing Usability Guidelines for AudioCasi Respondents with Limited Literacy Skills; 2000; J., Schneider, S. J.
- Technology Effects: Do CAPI or PAPI Interviews Take Longer?; 2000; Fuchs, M., Couper, M. P., Hansen, S. E.
- What Users Want From a Tool for Analyzing and Documenting Electronic Questionnaires: The User Requirements...; 2000; Kelly, M.
- Documentation for 2000 Presidential Election Internet Survey; 2000; Alvarez, M. R., Sherman, R.
- Internet Panel Response To The 'State Of The Union' Address: An Experiment; 2000; Frankovic, K. A.
- Current Practices in Intraspinal Therapy - A Survey of Clinical Trends and Decision Making; 2000; Hassenbusch, S. J., Portenoy, R. K.
- Online qualitative research task force: report of findings; 2000; Sweet, C., Walkowski, J.
- International growth of Web survey activity; 2000; MacElroy, B.
- Using online focus groups for e-commerce research; 2000; Johnson, W.
- The future of online research; 2000; James, D.
- Taking It To The Web; 2000; Grant, A. T., Dispensa, G.
- An opposing view of online surveying; 2000; Gorman, J. W.
- You've got surveys; 2000; Lipke, D. J.
- Developing usable Web sites - a review and model; 2000; Cunliffe, D. V.
- Impact of measurement periods on website rankings and traffic estimation: a user-centric approach; 2000; Lee, Su., Leckenby, J. D.
- The power of online research; 2000; Taylor, H.
- Report from Portland. AAPOR conference focuses on Web research; 2000; Totten, J. W.
- Psychological Experiments on the Internet; 2000; Birnbaum, M. H.
- A Brief History of Web Experimenting; 2000; Musch, J., Reips, U.-D.
- Potential of the Internet for Personality Research; 2000; Buchanan, T.
- Using the Internet for survey research: A case study; 2000
- Leverage-saliency theory of survey participation; 2000; Groves, R. M., Singer, E., Corning, A.
- E-interviewers add human touch to Web-based research; 2000; Wygant, S., Feld, K. G.
- Variables influencing dropout rates in Web-based surveys; 2000; MacElroy, B.
- Research non-stop; 2000; Grecco, C.
- Measuring response rates in online surveys; 2000; MacElroy, B.
- Content Analysis of the World Wide Web: Opportunities and Challenges; 2000; Weare, C., -Y., Lin, W.-Y.
- Banner-advertised Web surveys; 2000; Tuten, T. L., Bosnjak, M., Bandilla, W.
- Use of E-Mail And Internet Surveys By Research Companies; 2000; Totten, J. W.
- A Comparison Of Mail, Fax, And Web-Based Survey Methods; 2000; Cobanoglu, C., Warde, B., Moreo, P. J.
- Introduction: Survey and Statistical Computing in the New Millennium; 2000; Banks, R.