Will Web Surveys Ever Become Part of Mainstream Research?
2004
Will Web Surveys Become Mainstream?
Editorial
Author Information
Author(s): Matthias Schonlau, Gunther Eysenbach
Primary Institution: RAND Corporation
Conclusion
Web surveys may not achieve higher response rates than mail surveys, depending on the recruitment method used.
Supporting Evidence
- Leece et al found that Web surveys had lower response rates than mail surveys.
- Ritter et al found that Web surveys had equal or better response rates compared to mail surveys.
- Recruitment method significantly affects response rates in Web surveys.
Takeaway
This article discusses whether online surveys can be as good as traditional mail surveys. It suggests that how you ask people to participate matters a lot.
Potential Biases
There is a risk of selection bias in convenience samples, which may not represent the general population.
Limitations
The article discusses the challenges of using convenience samples and the potential biases that may arise.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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