This article provides a broad overview of the definition of web-based surveys examining some of the benefits and burdens related to using the Web for data collection. It draws upon the experience of two years of data collection on 10 university campuses demonstrating that there are noticeable differences in the speed with which web-based surveys…

Purpose--The purpose of this research is to examine participants' response rate on dual style training course evaluation forms. These combine structured and open-ended formats. Pencil and paper forms have a long history of use by trainers in business and commerce and more recently in education. Research methods texts tend to have neglected the…

A study was undertaken to solicit opinions from alumni on methods that might improve responses from graduate surveys. Two telephone surveys were conducted, one in 1991 which targeted the graduating classes of 1984 and 1989, and the second in 1994 among alumni of the classes of 1991 and 1993. In the 1994 survey information was gathered regarding…

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…

Compares types and methods of survey research, including mail, telephone, face-to-face, drop-off, and electronic surveys. Explains steps for conducting survey research and suggests how to improve response rate. (SK)

Examined response rates and nonresponse bias across four groups administered the survey "Your First College Year": paper only, paper with Web option, Web only with response incentive, and Web only without response incentive. Found that response rates vary by mode of administration; moreover, predictors of response differed by…

Carries out a meta-analysis to see if there might be a positive effect for colored paper overall on survey result rates. Finds no significant differences between the response rates to white and to colored paper in general. Notes that when considering separately the most common colors used, it appeared that pink paper had the greatest effect. (SG)

This population-based case-finding study sought to determine asthma prevalence and characterize disease severity and burden among school-aged children in the Little Rock School District. Asthma cases were identified by validated algorithm and parental report of asthma diagnosis. The overall response rate was low. Among schools with greater than…

This manual describes the methods, procedures, techniques, and activities that were used to produce the Academic Library Survey of 2004 (ALS:2004). This manual is designed to provide guidance and documentation for users of the ALS data. Included in the manual are the following: (1) an overview of the study and its predecessor studies; (2) an…

This article examines the effectiveness of incentives in improving survey response rates of school counselors and compares the findings with those of previously researched populations. A $1 cash incentive increased response rates for a one-wave mailing of a questionnaire, while a raffle opportunity did not. The number and length of optional…

Context: Medication safety is clearly an important quality issue for rural hospitals. However, rural hospitals face special challenges implementing medication safety practices in terms of their staffing and financial and technical resources. Purpose: This study assessed the capacity of small rural hospitals to implement medication safety…

An increasing number of academic institutions are considering changing to Web-based systems to take advantage of efficiencies in the collection of end-of-semester course evaluations. In considering such a change it is important that researchers determine whether it will affect mean evaluation scores and response rates. We undertook this study in a…

This study explored the feasibility of a "Composite Drinking Scale" (CDS) designed to capture fully the phenomenon of problem drinking among college students while allowing easy public understanding. A survey conducted at 32 four-year U.S. colleges included four consumption measures: 30-day frequency; average number of drinks per week;…

Adequate response to mail health surveys by minority populations has proved problematic. The impact of mail survey design features utilized to promote Orthodox Jews' responses (N = 138; 82 eligible synagogue member households) to a mailed questionnaire used to measure walking behavior are described and assessed. An examination of response…

A study was conducted to compare the psychometric qualities of two identical forms of a survey administered in paper-and-pencil format and in Web format to 197 teachers randomly split into two paper and Web groups. While the rates of response were quite discrepant, the respective measures of reliability were extremely similar for the two versions…