Welcome to my Thinking World…

Abstract:

Web surveys are being increasingly incorporated into national survey data collection programs in the United States because of their cost/time-efficiencies. Yet, response rates and data quality issues in web surveys remain important challenges. As a basic study designed to better understand data quality in a mixed mode national survey, this article investigates the degree to which web versus mail survey modes affect unit and item responses. Findings indicate that the web survey mode produces a lower unit response rate compared to the mail mode. However, the web mode elicits higher data quality in terms of item responses to both closed- and open-ended questions. Read more

Executive Summary:

In September 2008, the AAPOR Executive Council established an Opt-In Online Panel Task Force and charged it with “reviewing the current empirical findings related to opt-in online panels utilized for data collection and developing recommendations for AAPOR members.” The council further specified that the charge did not include development of best practices, but rather would “provide key information and recommendations about whether and when opt- in panels might be best utilized and how best to judge their quality.” The task force was formed in October 2008. This is its report. Read more

Abstract:

In a recent study involving a mixed-mode experiment to recruit members to a consumer panel, Rao et al. (2010) tested the effect of various response-inducement techniques such as advance letters, monetary incentives, and telephone follow-up on panel recruitment. The experiment was successful in recruiting individuals to a non-incentive-driven consumer panel (i.e., members do not receive any form of monetary incentives for their participation in the panel). While the experiment used response inducements as a onetime stimulus to motivate individuals to join the panel, no such response inducements were provided for their subsequent panel participation. Read more

Abstract:

Numerous studies (Payne 1971; Krosnick and Alwin 1987; Ayidiya and McClendon 1990; Schwarz, Hippler, and Noelle-Neumann 1992; Malhotra 2009; Malhotra 2008) have examined response order effects in visually administered questionnaires. A number of theories have also been proposed to explain this effect, with the most popular one being the theory of satisficing (Krosnick and Alwin 1987; Krosnick 1991). According to this theory, when response alternatives are presented visually, respondents begin at the top of the list and consider each alternative individually, all while establishing a cognitive framework for evaluating later response alternatives. Read more

Abstract:

Despite higher hit rates for cell phone samples, inefficiencies in processing calls to these numbers relative to landline numbers continue to be documented in the U.S. literature. In this study, we propose one method for using cell phone provider information and Internet resources for validating number status. Specifically, we describe how we used ‘‘in network’’ options available from three major providers’ web sites to determine the validity of cell phone numbers. Read more