Costs Per Survey Response

1. Costs Per Survey Response Tyson Fujikawa Ryan Palmer Nadia Vega

2. Different Types of Surveys • Internet • Drop-off Questionnaire • Self-administration • Fax • Mail • Telephone • Personal Interviews

3. Advantages Low cost Requires minimal staff Respondents have time to give thoughtful answers Respondent can accomplish on their own time Disadvantages Internet users do not represent the population as a whole Security Unrestricted internet sample (anyone who wants to complete the questionnaire can do so) Internet

4. Advantages Interviewer can explain the study Response rates tend to be like those of personal interview studies More opportunity for thoughtful answers Disadvantages Costs about as much as personal interviews A field staff is required Drop-off Questionnaire

5. Advantages Ease of presenting questions requiring visual aids Asking questions with long or complex response categories Respondent does not have to share answers with an interviewer Disadvantages Especially careful questionnaire design is needed Open questions not useful Good reading and writing skills are needed by respondents Interviewer is not present to exercise quality control Self-administration

6. Advantages Relatively low cost Requires minimal staff and facilities It is fast Technology is improving There is time for thoughtful answers Can send and receive by computer More reliable than mail in some countries Disadvantages Costs increase with minutes Cost varies by time on line, time of day, distance, and telephone carrier Limited to organizational population Loss of anonymity Fax surveys

7. Advantages Relatively low cost Requires minimal staff Provides access to widely dispersed samples and samples that for other reasons are difficult to reach by telephone or in person Time for thoughtful answers Disadvantages Various disadvantages of not having interviewer involved in data collection Need for good nailing addresses for sample Mail

8. Advantages Lower costs than personal interviews Random-digit-dialing (RDD) Shorter data collection period The advantages of interviewer administration (in contrast to mail surveys) Required smaller staff which is easily managed Likely better response rate from a list sample than from mail Disadvantages Sampling limitations (omit those without a phone) Nonresponse associated with RDD sampling is higher than with interviews Limits on response alternatives, use of visual aids, and interviewer observations Possibly less appropriate for personal or sensitive questions if no prior contact Telephone

9. Advantages Most effective way of enlisting cooperation Easier to probe for answers Observation, visual cues, and self-administered sections are feasible Rapport and confidence building are possible Probably longer interviews can be done in person Disadvantages More costly than alternatives Trained staff of interviewers geographically near the sample is needed Total data collection period is likely to be longer Personal Interviews

10. Hey, LISTEN UP! This is when you get out your pens and write down this vital information. This is what our presentation is really all about… LET’S TALK NUMBERS…

11. Cost per Response *Based on a numbers from 1997 (Marketing Research, 8th ed.)

12. In conclusion… • Survey costs depend on a multitude of factors which include: • Amount of professional time required to design the questionnaire • Questionnaire length • Geographic dispersion of the sample • Availability and interest of the sample • Callback procedures • Respondent selection rules • Availability of trained staff…etc