Web Survey Bibliography
Title Internet Versus Mailed Questionnaires: A Randomized Comparison (2)
Author Leece, P., Bhandari, M., Swiontkowski, M., Schemitsch, E., Tornetta, P., Devereaux, P. J., Guyatt, G.
Source Journal of Medical Internet Research, 6, 3
Year 2004
Database ISI Web of Knowledge
Access date 20.12.2004
Full text doc (447k)
Abstract Background: Low response rates among surgeons can threaten the validity of surveys. Internet technologies may reduce the time, effort, and financial resources needed to conduct surveys. Objective: We investigated whether using Web-based technology could increase the response rates to an international survey. Methods: We solicited opinions from the 442 surgeon–members of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association regarding the treatment of femoral neck fractures. We developed a self-administered questionnaire after conducting a literature review, focus groups, and key informant interviews, for which we used sampling to redundancy techniques. We administered an Internet version of the questionnaire on a Web site, as well as a paper version, which looked similar to the Internet version and which had identical content. Only those in our sample could access the Web site. We alternately assigned the participants to receive the survey by mail (n=221) or an email invitation to participate on the Internet (n=221). Non-respondents in the mail arm received up to three additional copies of the survey, while non-respondents in the Internet arm received up to three additional requests, including a final mailed copy. All participants in the Internet arm had an opportunity to request an emailed Portable Document Format (PDF)version. Results: The Internet arm demonstrated a lower response rate (99/221, 45%) than the mail questionnaire arm (129/221, 58%) absolute difference 13%, 95% confidence interval 4%-22%,0.01). Conclusions: Our Internet-based survey to surgeons resulted in a significantly lower response rate than a traditional mailed survey. Researchers should not assume that the widespread availability and potential ease of Internet-based surveys will translate into higher response rates.
Year of publication2004
Bibliographic typeJournal article
Web Survey Bibliography - Journal of Medical Internet Research (41)
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- Challenges for Researchers Investigating Contraceptive Use and Pregnancy Intentions of Young Women Living...; 2013; Herbert, D. L., Loxton, D., Bateson, D., Weisberg, E., Lucke, J. C.
- An Assessment of Incentive Versus Survey Length Trade-offs in a Web Survey of Radiologists; 2013; Ziegenfuss, J. Y., Niederhauser, B. D., Kallmes, D., Beebe, T. J.
- How Should Debriefing Be Undertaken in Web-Based Studies? Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial...; 2012; McCambridge, J., Kypri, K., Wilson, A.
- Use of Web 2.0 to Recruit Australian Gay Men to an Online HIV/AIDS Survey; 2012; Theriault, N., Bi, P., Hiller, J. E., Nor, M.
- Conducting Research on the Internet: Medical Record Data Integration with Patient-Reported Outcomes; 2012; Cascade, E., Marr, P., Winslow, M., Burgess, A., Nixon, M.
- Clinicians’ Perspectives on a Web-Based System for Routine Outcome Monitoring in Old-Age Psychiatry...; 2012; Veerbeek, M. A., Voshaar, R. C. O., Pot, A. M.
- Active-Q: Validation of the Web-Based Physical Activity Questionnaire Using Doubly Labeled Water; 2012; Bonn, S. E., Trolle-Lagerros, Y., Christensen, S. E., Moeller, E., Wright, A., Sjoelander, A., Baelter...
- Validation of an Informant-Reported Web-Based Data Collection to Assess Dementia Symptoms; 2012; Rockwood, K., Zeng, A., Leibman, C., Mucha, L., Mitnitski, A.
- Web-Based Recruiting for Health Research Using a Social Networking Site: An Exploratory Study; 2012; Fenner, Y., Garland, P., Moore, E. E., Jayasinghe, Y., Fletcher, A., Tabrizi, S. N., Gunasekaran, B.,...
- Broad Reach and Targeted Recruitment Using Facebook for an Online Survey of Young Adult Substance Use...; 2012; Ramo, D. E., Prochaska, J. J.
- Impact of Length or Relevance of Questionnaires on Attrition in Online Trials: Randomized Controlled...; 2011; McCambridge, J., Kalaitzaki, E., White, I. R., Khadjesari, Z., Murray, E., Linke, S., Thompson, S. G...
- Methodological Issues in Internet-Mediated Research: A Randomized Comparison of Internet Versus Mailed...; 2011; Whitehead, L.
- Using web-based and paper-based questionnaires for collecting data on fertility issues among female...; 2011; Van Den Berg, M. H., Overbeek, A., van der Pal, H. J. H., Versluys, B. A., , Van Leeuwe, F. E. Lambalk...
- Development of a Web-Based Survey for Monitoring Daily Health and its Application in an Epidemiological...; 2011; Sugiura, H., Ohkusa, Y., Akahane, M., Sano, T., Okabe, N., Imamura, T.
- Bias in Online Recruitment and Retention of Racial and Ethnic Minority Men Who Have Sex With Men; 2011; Amsden, M., Coggia, T., DiClemente, R. J., Khosropour, C. M., Luisi, N., Sullivan, P. S., Wingood, G...
- A Comparison of Psychometric Properties Between Internet and Paper Versions of Two Depression Instruments...; 2010; Andersson, G., Engstroem, I., Hollaendare, F.
- The Influence of Response Mode on Study Results: Offering Cigarette Smokers a Choice of Postal or Online...; 2010; Callas, P. W., Solomon, L. J., Hughes, J. R., Livingston, A. E.
- The Touro 12-Step: A Systematic Guide to Optimizing Survey Research with Online Discussion Boards; 2010; Ip, E. J., Barnett, M. J., Tenerowicz, M. J., Perry, P. J.
- Effects of a Financial Incentive on Health Researchers’ Response to an Online Survey: a Randomized...; 2010; Wilson, P. M., Petticrew, M., Calnan, M., Nazareth, I.
- Response Audit of an Internet Survey of Health Care Providers and Administrators: Implications for Determination...; 2008; Dobrow, M. J., Orchard, M. C., Golden, B.; Holowaty, E., Paszat, L., Brown, A. D., Sullivan, T.
- No Increase in Response Rate by Adding a Web Response Option to a Postal Population Survey: A Randomized...; 2007; Brøgger, J., Nystad, W., Cappelen, I., Bakke, P.
- Use of the Internet to communicate with health care providers in the United States: Estimates from the...; 2007; Beckjord, E. B., Squiers, L., Arora, N. K., Volckmann, L., Moser, R. P., Hesse, B. W., Finney Rutten...
- Response rate and completeness of questionnaires: A randomized study of internet versus Paper-and-Pencil...; 2007; Holm- Christensen, K., Hjollund, H. N., , ; Basnov, M.; Kongsved, S.M.
- Following Up Nonrespondents to an Online Weight Management Intervention: Randomized Trial Comparing...; 2007; Couper, M. P., Peytchev, A.; Strecher, V., Rothert, K., Anderson, K. J.
- Psychological Assessment via the Internet: A Reliability and Validity Study of Online (vs Paper-and-...; 2007; Vallejo, M. A., Jordán, C. M., Díaz, M. I., Comeche, M. I., Ortega, J.
- Formative Evaluation and Three-Month Follow-Up of an Online Personalized Assessment Feedback Intervention...; 2006; Cunningham, J. A., Humphreys, K., Kypri, K., van Mierlo, T.
- Computers and the Internet: Tools for Youth Empowerment; 2005; Valaitis, R. K.
- Information Needs and Visitors' Experience of an Internet Expert Forum on Infertility; 2005; Himmel, W., Meyer, J., Kochen, M. M., Michelmann, H.-W.
- How New Subscribers Use Cancer-Related Online Mailing Lists; 2005; Rimer, B. K., Lyons, E. J., Ribisl, K. M., Bowling, J. M., Golin, C. E., Forlenza, M. J., Meier, A.
- Use of Internet Audience Measurement Data to Gauge Market Share for Online Health Information Services...; 2005; Wood, F. B., Benson, D., LaCroix, E.-M., Siegel, E. R., Fariss, S.
- Challenges of Internet Recruitment: A Case Study with Disappointing Results; 2005; Koo, M., Skinner, H.
- Swiss Community Pharmacies' on the Web and Pharmacists' Experiences with E-commerce: Longitudinal study...; 2004; Zehnder, S., Bruppacher, R., Ruppanner, H., Hersberger, K. E.
- Improving the Quality of Web Surveys: The Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES...; 2004; Eysenbach, G.
- Will Web Surveys Ever Become Part of Mainstream Research?; 2004; Schonlau, M.
- Internet Versus Mailed Questionnaires: A Randomized Comparison (2); 2004; Leece, P., Bhandari, M., Swiontkowski, M., Schemitsch, E., Tornetta, P., Devereaux, P. J., Guyatt, G...
- Internet Versus Mailed Questionnaires: A Randomized Comparison; 2004; Ritter, P., Lorig, K., Laurent, D., Matthews, K.
- Feasibility of Collecting Diary Data From Asthma Patients Through Mobile Phones and SMS (Short Message...; 2004; Anhoej, J., Moeldrup, C.
- Online consumer surveys as a methodology for assessing the quality of the United States health care...; 2004; Bethell, C., Fiorillo, J., Lansky, D., Hendryx, M., Knickman, J.
- Survey of Doctors' Experience of Patients Using the Internet; 2002; Potts, H. W. W., Wyatt, J. C., Pagerey, P.D.
- Using the Internet for surveys and health research; 2002; Eysenbach, G., Wyatt, J. C.