Several times each year the teaching performance of academics at higher education institutions are evaluated through anonymous, online student evaluation of teaching (SET) surveys. Universities use SETs to inform decisions about staff promotion and tenure, but low student participation levels make the surveys impractical for this use. This scoping…

In 2007, Randolph conducted a meta-analysis of response-card articles to determine the effect of response cards on test achievement, quiz achievement, class participation, and off-task behavior. This meta-analysis is an update of that analysis, including new studies conducted in the last 12 years. A total of 15 studies published between 2005 and…

To provide a benchmark of survey methods used in agricultural education research, a content analysis of Journal of Agricultural Education (JAE) research articles was conducted to determine populations studied, survey contact and response mode use, the use of incentives, and response and participation rates reported. Findings revealed survey…

Students' feedback on teaching activities significantly contributes to the enhancement of the quality of teaching and learning. Conventionally students evaluate teaching activities through paper based systems, where they fill out and return paper copies of teaching or course evaluation. In the last decades, institutions are moving student…

Background: Collection of valid and reliable surveillance data as a basis for school health promotion and education policy and practice for children and adolescence is of great importance. However, numerous methodological and practical problems arise in the planning and collection of such survey data that need to be resolved in order to ensure the…

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) collects institution-level data from postsecondary institutions in the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia) and other jurisdictions, such as Puerto Rico. This report presents information from the Winter 2006-07 IPEDS web-based data collection. Tabulations represent data…

To ensure accurate interpretation of research findings, researchers should report details about their research design, data collection method, and response rates when presenting findings from survey research. A review of 100 peer-reviewed articles reporting the results of survey research on K-12 schools with principals as the designated…

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) collects institution-level data from postsecondary institutions in the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia) and other jurisdictions, such as Puerto Rico. This report presents information from the Winter 2007-2008 IPEDS web-based data collection. A postsecondary…

Experimental studies of response rates to mail surveys were reviewed and differences in response by population type were described. Cases were selected for review if they were experimental studies that manipulated a response enhancement factor. Results suggest significant differences in typical response rates for different populations. Higher…

Research on women's experiences of interpersonal violence has grown dramatically and, as a result, the ethical issues surrounding this research are a concern. Although regulatory procedures ensure that research participants are protected from undue risk, little is known about the impact of victimization research on participants. In this study, the…

Researchers recruiting samples of children through schools typically face considerable challenges in obtaining completed consent forms from parents. Describes a set of procedures used to obtain active parental consent for child participation that resulted in a 95% return rate of consent forms. Rates of return were similar across schools that…

Examines the effectiveness of the use of monetary incentives in mail survey data collection. Monetary incentives produces higher rates of return compared to mailings in which nonmonetary or no incentives are provided. The use of monetary incentives is more cost effective than other types of incentives and may be particularly valuable when…

Reviews of 227 comparative studies and 50 descriptive studies covering the time periods 1931-1999 and 1975-1999 respectively, revealed little change in response rates over time for postal mail surveys. Significant differences were found in comparative studies' response rates based on the academic area represented by the journal in which studies…

Analyzes response rates to e-mail surveys undertaken since 1986. Examines five influences on response rates: year undertaken, number of survey questions, number of pre-notification contacts, number of follow-up contacts, and survey topic salience. Notes response rates to e-mail surveys have significantly decreased. Suggests year the survey was…

The popularity of the sample survey in educational research makes it necessary for consumers to tell a good study from a poor one. Several sources were identified that gave advice on how to evaluate a sample design. The sources are either limited or too extensive to use in a practical sense. The purpose of this paper is to recommend six important…