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Lesson 22 SELF ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES (CONTINUED)
Increasing Response Rate
Here are some guidelines for increasing the response rate. Response rate is the number of questionnaires returned or completed, divided by the total number of eligible people who were contacted or asked to participate in the survey.
Cover Letter
The cover letter that accompanies the questionnaire or is printed on the first page of the questionnaire is an important means of inducing a reader to complete and return the questionnaire. In the letter tell why the study is important, who is sponsoring the study, how was the respondent selected, assuring the anonymity of the respondent could help in establishing rapport and motivating the respondent to respond.
A personalized letter addressed to a specific individual shows the respondent that he or she is important. Including an individually typed letter on letterhead versus printed form is an important element in increasing the response rate in mail surveys.
Money Helps
The respondent’s motivation for returning a questionnaire may be increased by offering monetary incentives or premiums. Although pens, lottery tickets, and variety of premiums have been used, monetary incentives appear to be the most effective and least biasing incentive. It attracts the attention and creates a sense of obligation. Money incentive works for all income categories.
Interesting Questions
The topic of the research and thus the point of the questions cannot be manipulated without changing thee problem definition. However, certain interesting questions can be added to the questionnaire, perhaps in the beginning, to stimulate the respondents’ interest and to induce cooperation.
Follow-Ups
Follow-up implies the communication of the message to respondents through different means for the return of questionnaire. After responses from the first wave of mailing begin to trickle-in, most studies use follow-up, reminder for getting the response. A follow-up may include a duplicate questionnaire or may merely be a reminder to return thee original questionnaire. Multiple contacts almost always increase response rates. The more attempts made to reach people, the greater the chances of their responding.
Preliminary Notification
Advance notification, by either letter or telephone, that a questionnaire will be arriving has bee successful in increasing the response rates in some situations. Advance notices that go out close to the questionnaire mailing time produce better results than those sent too far in advance. This technique presupposes a certain level of development of the country where such facilities are available. Even otherwise, it depends upon the nature of the study as well as the type of respondents selected for the study.
Survey Sponsorship
Sponsorship of the study makes a difference for motivating the respondents to return thee questionnaires. It depends upon the goodwill of the sponsoring agency that can activate/deactivate the
respondent to fill the questionnaire and return it. There is some evidence that “official” and “respected”docsity.com
sponsorship increases the response rate. Sponsorship by well-known and prestigious organizations, such as universities or government agencies, may significantly influence response rates.
Return Envelopes
The inclusion of a stamped, self addressed envelop encourages response because it simplifies questionnaire return.
Postage
The existing evidence shows that expedited delivery is very effective in increasing response rate. First class or third class mail, stamped mail or metered mail may make a difference.
Personalization
Personalization of the mailing has no clear-cut advantage in terms of improved response rates. Neither personal inside addresses nor individually signed cover letters significantly increased response rates; personally typed cover letters proved to be somewhat effective.
Size, Reproduction, and Color
The size of the paper, the printing, and color may have some effect, though not significant, on the response rate. It is recommended to use the A-4 size paper and while sending it do not fold it. The attractive printing may be another factor influencing the return rate. If questionnaire has different parts, the use of different colors of paper may motivate the respondents to take interest in the study and return the questionnaire.
The manipulation of one or two techniques independently of all others may do little to stimulate response. May be the researcher has to make use of all the possible techniques simultaneously, so that the response rate could be increased. Such an effort is referred to as Total Design Effort (TDE).
E-Mail Surveys
Questionnaires can be distributed via e-mail. E-mail is relatively new method of communication, and many individuals cannot be reached this way. However, certain projects lend themselves to, such as internal surveys of employees or satisfaction surveys of retail buyers who regularly deal with an organization via e-mail.
The benefits of an e-mail include speed of distribution, lower distribution and processing cost, faster turnaround time, more flexibility, and less handling of paper questionnaires.
Many respondents may feel that they can be more candid in e-mail than in person or on telephone, for the same reason they are candid on other self administered questionnaires.
In many organizations the employees know that their e-mails are not secure, that “eves-dropping” by a supervisor could occur. Further maintaining the respondent’s anonymity is difficult, because a reply to an e-mail message typically includes the sender’s address. Researchers designing e-mail surveys should assure respondents that their responses will be confidential.
Not all e-mail systems have the same capacity: some handle color and graphics well; others are limited to text. The extensive differences in the capabilities of respondents’ computers and email software limit the types of questions and the layout of thee questionnaire.
Response Rate: Response rate can be increased by sending e-mail friendly reminders.
Disadvantages of Internet Surveys
All People cannot Participate: Many people in thee general public cannot access to Internet. And, all people with Internet access do not have the same level of technology. Many lack powerful computers or software that is compatible with advanced features programmed into many Internet questionnaires. Some individuals have minimum computer skills. They may not know how to navigate through and provide answers to an Internet questionnaire.
No Physical Incentive: Unlike mail surveys, Internet surveys do not offer the opportunity to send a physical incentive to the respondent.
SELECTING THE APPROPRIATE SURVEY RESEARCH DESIGN
The choice of communication method is not as complicated as it might appear. By comparing the research objectives with the strengths and weaknesses of each method, the researcher will be able to choose one that is suited to thee needs. Nevertheless, there no “best” form of survey. Each has advantages and disadvantages. A researcher who must ask highly confidential questions ay conduct a mail survey, thus trading off the speed of data collection to avoid any possibility of interviewer bias.
To determine the appropriate technique, thee researcher must ask questions such as “Is the assistance of an interviewer necessary? Are respondents likely to be interested in the issues being investigating? Will cooperation be easily attained? How quickly the information is needed? Will the study require a ling complex questionnaire? How large is the budget?” The criteria – cost, speed, anonymity, and the like – may be different for each project.
If none of the choices turns out to be a particularly good fit, it is possible to combine the best characteristics of two or more alternatives into a mixed mode. Although this decision will incur the costs of the combined modes, thee flexibility of tailoring a method to the unique need of the project is often an acceptable trade off.
