An experimental study on the effects of personalization, survey length statements, progress indicators, and survey sponsor logos in web surveys

This study tests the effect of several factors on web survey response rates and on some other aspects of web survey data quality. The factors reviewed are e-mail personalization, survey length statements in the e-mail contact, use of progress indicators, and display of survey sponsor logos. Hypotheses are tested in a web survey experiment conducted with a university student sample (n 1⁄4 2;520). The results indicate that, of all considered factors, only personalization significantly increases the web survey response rate.

[1]  Stephen R. Porter,et al.  The Impact of Contact Type on Web Survey Response Rates , 2003 .

[2]  J. Boser Teacher-Education Graduate Surveys: Variables Related to Response Rate , 1988 .

[3]  P. Chisnall Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method , 2007, Journal of Advertising Research.

[4]  Tracy L. Tuten,et al.  Prepaid and Promised Incentives in Web Surveys , 2003 .

[5]  Dirk Heerwegh,et al.  Explaining Response Latencies and Changing Answers Using Client-Side Paradata from a Web Survey , 2003 .

[6]  Alan R. Andreasen PERSONALIZING MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE CORRESPONDENCE , 1970 .

[7]  Stephen R. Porter,et al.  The Impact of Lottery Incentives on Student Survey Response Rates , 2003 .

[8]  Mick P. Couper,et al.  Designing a Strategy for Reducing “No Opinion” Responses in Web-Based Surveys , 2002 .

[9]  Smith Ma It's what's up-front that counts! , 1989 .

[10]  R. Conti,et al.  Time flies: investigating the connection between intrinsic motivation and the experience of time. , 2001, Journal of personality.

[11]  M. Couper,et al.  Web Surveys , 2001 .

[12]  R. Stevenson,et al.  Increasing Returns in International Mail Surveys , 1974 .

[13]  Ulf-Dietrich Reips,et al.  Financial Incentives, Personal Information and Drop Out in Online Studies , 2001 .

[14]  E. Ziegel,et al.  Nonresponse In Household Interview Surveys , 1998 .

[15]  M. Traugott,et al.  Web survey design and administration. , 2001, Public opinion quarterly.

[16]  Vasja Vehovar,et al.  Design of Web Survey Questionnaires: Three Basic Experiments , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[17]  Tracy L. Tuten,et al.  Prepaid and Promised Incentives in Web Surveys , 2003 .

[18]  Robert B. Cialdini,et al.  Influence : how and why people agree to things , 1985 .

[19]  Nicolas Guéguen,et al.  Social Presence Reinforcement and Computer-Mediated Communication: The Effect of the Solicitor's Photography on Compliance to a Survey Request Made by E-Mail , 2002, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[20]  Robert D. Tortora,et al.  INFLUENCE OF PLAIN VS. FANCY DESIGN ON RESPONSE RATES FOR WEB SURVEYS , 1999 .

[21]  Nicolas Guéguen,et al.  Solicitation by E-Mail and Solicitor's Status: A Field Study of Social Influence on the Web , 2002, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[22]  G. Loosveldt,et al.  The effect of personalization on response rates and data quality in web surveys , 2005 .

[23]  Geert Loosveldt,et al.  Web Surveys , 2002 .

[24]  Russel L. Thompson,et al.  A Meta-Analysis of Response Rates in Web- or Internet-Based Surveys , 2000 .

[25]  Robert D. Tortora,et al.  Principles for Constructing Web Surveys , 1998 .