Ten years ago, surveys through online panels were rare. Mostly we conducted telephone surveys. Today it is the other way around. With online survey panels being a $2 billion industry in the U.S., there is now a wealth of comparative data to measure and assess the implications of using online surveys as a substitute for phone surveys.
The American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) convened a task force in the fall of 2008 to study online survey panels, and they have just released their report. It summarizes issues related to recruitment, panel maintenance, post-survey statistical adjustments, validity, and reliability.
Here is a summary of their conclusions and recommendations (quoted verbatim): (more…)