Innovations in Survey Research

The rapid expansion of Internet users has given Web-based surveys the potential to become a powerful tool in survey research. As an application of this technique for gathering data, the International Student Survey was designed to explore factors that might influence choices of college majors and the social support network system among international students at Arizona State University. Cover letters with the links to a Web-based questionnaire were sent through e-mail to the entire international students population. Given that no incentive was offered, this study received a total of 929 completed surveys for an overall response rate of 22% after three waves of solicitations. This article discusses the methodological concerns and problems that arise from using Web surveys, including noncoverage, nonresponse errors, confidentiality concerns, and technical problems. Suggestions for improving response rates also are discussed.

[1]  M. Crask,et al.  MAIL SURVEY RESPONSE RATE A META-ANALYSIS OF SELECTED TECHNIQUES FOR INDUCING RESPONSE , 1988 .

[2]  Terry L. Childers,et al.  Understanding mail survey response behavior: A meta-analysis. , 1991 .

[3]  D. Dillman.  The Design and Administration of Mail Surveys , 1991 .

[4]  J. Hoek,et al.  THE BEHAVIOR OF RESPONDENTS, NONRESPONDENTS, AND REFUSERS ACROSS MAIL SURVEYS , 1992 .

[5]  Rj Lowe,et al.  Third annual report , 1992 .

[6]  Alan C.B. Tse,et al.  Comparing Two Methods of Sending out Questionnaires: E-mail versus Mail , 1995 .

[7]  Raj Mehta,et al.  Comparing Response Rates and Response Content in Mail versus Electronic Mail Surveys , 1995 .

[8]  Mark S. Bonchek,et al.  Will the Web Democratize or Polarize the Political Process , 1996, World Wide Web J..

[9]  David H. Harkness,et al.  Nielsen/CommerceNet Internet Demographic Study , 1996, World Wide Web J..

[10]  Marc Abrams,et al.  Complementing Surveying and Demographics with Automated Network Monitoring , 1996, World Wide Web J..

[11]  R. Coomber.  Using the Internet for Survey Research , 1997 .

[12]  Luciano Paccagnella,et al.  Getting the Seats of Your Pants Dirty: Strategies for Ethnographic Research on Virtual Communities , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[13]  J. Pitkow,et al.  Surveying the Territory: GVU's Five WWW User Surveys , 1997 .

[14]  R. Weitkunat,et al.  Social Science Computer Review Internet Surveys by Direct Mailing : an Innovative Way of Collecting Data Internet Surveys by Direct Mailing an Innovative Way of Collecting Data , 2022 .

[15]  Dennis Waskul,et al.  Cyberself: The Emergence of Self in Online Chat , 1997, Inf. Soc..

[16]  Christine B. Smith,et al.  Casting the Net: Surveying an Internet Population , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[17]  The Internet in Nepal: A Survey Report , 1999 .

[18]  Kim Bartel Sheehan,et al.  Using E-mail To Survey Internet Users In The United States: Methodology And Assessment , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[19]  A. Bachu.  Current Population Reports , 1999 .

[20]  Gi Woong Yun,et al.  Comparative Response to a Survey Executed by Post, E-mail, & Web Form , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[21]  Eric C. Newburger,et al.  Home computers and Internet use in the United States, August 2000 , 2001 .

[22]  B. Cude,et al.  Consumer response to online grocery shopping , 2000 .