Internet Surveys. Brief History E-mail was explored as a survey method in the late 80’s and early 90’s. E-mail was explored as a survey method in the.

Internet SurveysInternet Surveys

Brief HistoryBrief History

E-mail was explored as a survey E-mail was explored as a survey method in the late 80’s and early method in the late 80’s and early 90’s.90’s.

The internet offered the possibility The internet offered the possibility of multimedia surveys with more of multimedia surveys with more interactive features.interactive features.

When should Online surveys When should Online surveys be considered?be considered?

The survey can be conducted with a The survey can be conducted with a convenience sample.convenience sample.

The survey is being conducted in an The survey is being conducted in an organization that has a list of email organization that has a list of email addresses for the target population.addresses for the target population.

The sample size is moderately The sample size is moderately large.large.

The survey contains a lot of open-The survey contains a lot of open-ended questions.ended questions.

The survey contains questions that The survey contains questions that are of a sensitive nature.are of a sensitive nature.

Types of internet surveysTypes of internet surveys

Convenience samplingConvenience sampling Systematic samplingSystematic sampling Probability samplingProbability sampling Volunteer or prerecruited panelVolunteer or prerecruited panel

Benefits of Internet Benefits of Internet surveyssurveys

““Routing” can save respondent's Routing” can save respondent's time.time.

Validation.Validation. Cost.Cost. Time.Time.

Types of questionsTypes of questions

https://https://surveys.bus.oregonstate.edu/surveys.bus.oregonstate.edu/bsgsurvey2_0/main.aspx?bsgsurvey2_0/main.aspx?SurveyID=504&cmd=surveySurveyID=504&cmd=survey

Limitations of internet Limitations of internet surveyssurveys

Not everyone has internet access or Not everyone has internet access or the skills to use it.the skills to use it.

Invitation email might be perceived Invitation email might be perceived as junk mail.as junk mail.

People outside the target group People outside the target group could complete the survey.could complete the survey.

Require time and technological skill.Require time and technological skill.

Are they faster?Are they faster?

They can be.They can be. If respondents are contacted via If respondents are contacted via

email, they are generally faster.email, they are generally faster. If respondents are contacted via If respondents are contacted via

mail or telephone, the response mail or telephone, the response times are marginal at best.times are marginal at best.

Are they cheaper?Are they cheaper?

They can be.They can be. Save on mailing costs.Save on mailing costs. Higher programming costs.Higher programming costs. Cost of additional help-desk staff.Cost of additional help-desk staff. High fixed costs, Low variable costs.High fixed costs, Low variable costs.

Are they easier to conduct?Are they easier to conduct?

Internet surveys are more Internet surveys are more technically involved.technically involved.

Require more pretesting.Require more pretesting. Save on data entry.Save on data entry. Without prior experience, they are Without prior experience, they are

often more work.often more work.

Tips for internet surveysTips for internet surveys

List only a few questions per screen.List only a few questions per screen. Eliminate unnecessary questions.Eliminate unnecessary questions. Use graphics sparingly.Use graphics sparingly. Reduce response errors by Reduce response errors by

restricting response choices.restricting response choices. Password protect your survey.Password protect your survey. Give respondents something in Give respondents something in

return.return.

Tips continued…Tips continued…

Automatically validate input.Automatically validate input. If a large number of respondents If a large number of respondents

are contacted via e-mail, stagger are contacted via e-mail, stagger the e-mail invitations.the e-mail invitations.

Where can I create an Where can I create an internet survey?internet survey?

BSGBSG www.questionpro.comwww.questionpro.com www.websurveyor.comwww.websurveyor.com www.web-online-surveys.comwww.web-online-surveys.com www.quask.comwww.quask.com www.vanguardsw.com/vista/www.vanguardsw.com/vista/ www.zapsurvey.comwww.zapsurvey.com

SourcesSources

Conducting Research Surveys vie E-Conducting Research Surveys vie E-mail and the Web.mail and the Web.

Schonlau, Matthias, Ronald Fricker, and Schonlau, Matthias, Ronald Fricker, and Marc Elliott. Conducting Research Marc Elliott. Conducting Research Surveys via E-mail and the Web. Santa Surveys via E-mail and the Web. Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2002. Monica, CA: RAND, 2002.

Internet Data Collection.Internet Data Collection.

Best, Samuel, and Brian Krueger. Best, Samuel, and Brian Krueger. Internet Internet Data CollectionData Collection. Thousand Oaks, CA: . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 2004. Sage Publications, Inc., 2004.