Collecting Information via the Web

1. Collecting Information via the Web Stephen Porter Director of Institutional Research sporter@wesleyan.edu Michael Roy Director of Academic Computing Services mroy@wesleyan.edu Wesleyan University

2. Advantages of web surveys • Low costs - only software, no printing, envelopes or postage needed. • No data entry costs. • Minimal data entry errors. • Easy to correct problems during survey administration. • Much quicker completion time for project. • Response rates are comparable.

3. Population • It’s important to keep in mind your survey population. • Do you have good email addresses for sample? • Does everyone use email software that allows hyperlinking? • Do some people not use email at all? • Students (especially grad) may not use institution assigned emails. Do you collect home email addresses? • Some low-tech faculty don’t use email or check infrequently.

4. Security and web surveys • Security can be a big issue – you have two choices: • Ask for name and other identifying information such as userid and password. • Multiple responses can be eliminated. • Responses can be linked to institutional data. • No evidence this affects response rates, but be aware many people are nervous using SSN’s on the web. • Important to state that only aggregate data will be released.

5. Security and web surveys • Allow anonymous responses. • In theory, anyone can answer the survey. • Multiple responses will vary with topic and survey length. • Cannot use incentives. • Research indicates that promises of anonymity and/or confidentiality do not affect response rates except for sensitive topics such as sexual behavior.

6. Security and web surveys • Sending out id numbers and passwords can be cumbersome. • It’s possible to embed an id number and password in a unique hyperlink that is emailed to each survey participant. • This approach has worked well for us, but make sure participants know that the survey is not anonymous.

7. Survey structure • Keep it simple: avoid complicated designs with lots of colors. • Make the survey one (screen) page in length. • For drop down boxes, make sure first response category is not the visible line of the box. • Keep the survey as short as possible. • See Dillman (2000) pp. 352-401 for a good set of detailed recommendations.

8. Survey administration • The Dillman (2000) “tailored design” approach • Pre-notice, survey, reminder, follow-up survey, and so on. • For web surveys it is simply multiple emails. • Considered the best method possible for surveying - used for example by the Census Bureau. • If you do only one survey mailing, you WILL get a low response rate. • With multiple emails you need to take out respondents from your email list.

9. Survey administration

10. Survey administration • The email should be concise, with hyperlink to survey visible when participant opens the email. • Avoid sending emails on Monday. • We usually wait a week between reminder emails. • How many? 2 or 3 reminders are fine, especially if you allow participant to opt out. • Offering a web option via “snail mail” does not seem to work.

11. For more information • Dillman, Don A. (2000) Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method. New York: John Wiley & Sons. • National Computer Systems, Inc. (NCS) has a great website with a sample size calculator, survey research glossary and a set of short reports on various survey research topics: http://www.ncs.com/research-notes/ • Talk with your institutional research or assessment office – no need to reinvent the wheel.