Posts Tagged ‘Online Surveys’
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012
Many of us in marketing research have been deploying web surveys for over ten years, and web surveys are, by far, the dominant mode of data collection in our industry nowadays. But our techniques and methods are an amalgam of practices adapted from other data collection modes, learned in part through trial and error, and taught to others through channels more akin to oral traditions. So it is helpful when our academic colleagues manage to document and codify the art and science of what we do. (more…)
Tags: bias, Internet, Market Research, Online Surveys, Sampling, statistics, Survey Design
Posted in Data Analysis & Analytics, Data Collection, Market Research, Online Surveys, Resources and Recommendations, Sampling, Survey Design | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 7th, 2011
In Versta Research’s Winter 2011 Newsletter, published just this week, we describe a simple method for estimating how long it will take respondents to complete surveys.
Here we offer the “Versta Digest” version as a handy reference card. Once you get the hang of it, you don’t need the examples and explanation. You just need to know the rules. We recommend reading the full article first, so you know what we’re talking about when it comes to “points.” Then, when you need a refresher or a reference source, consult these rules: (more…)
Tags: Data Collection, Online Surveys, phone surveys, research, Survey Design
Posted in Data Collection, Methods & Tools, Online Surveys, Survey Design | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
Versta Research is a strong advocate for using online panels for surveys. As telephone usage and technology have changed, phone surveys are increasingly difficult and expensive, and they are not necessarily more rigorous than other methods.
But that doesn’t mean “anything goes” when it comes to fielding market research surveys and public opinion polls through online panels. Many panels are poorly managed and overused, and some have high proportions of fraudulent respondents. While conducting good research through online panels is possible, it requires a great deal of effort and oversight from smart people who know what they are doing.
I was reminded of this recently as we worked with a newer panel provider that recruits respondents through not-for-profit organizations. (more…)
Tags: Internet, Online Panels, Online Surveys, Sampling, social media
Posted in Data Collection, Market Research, Methods & Tools, Online Surveys, Sampling | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
In response to last week’s newsletter, Is Your Research Good Enough for The New York Times?, which discussed hurdles of getting online survey research reported by some news organizations, a customer reminded us that online surveys can be difficult to sell internally as well. Too many people have been burned by junk data from online surveys.
One problem with online panels is that some respondents (a small minority) participate only to get paid in cash or redeemable credits. If these respondents are not providing thoughtful answers, the data are suspect. All panels have the problem, though some are worse than others; reputable sample providers work hard to identify and remove fraudulent respondents from their panels.
But we should not rely on panel providers alone to ensure valid data. Buyers of panel surveys should always look at the data case by case to identify and remove suspicious cases. Here are typical indicators of potentially bad data:
(more…)
Tags: data quality, Online Surveys, open-ends, survey respondents
Posted in Data Collection, Methods & Tools, Online Surveys, Survey Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, September 29th, 2011
Is it true that the Associated Press refuses to carry stories from online surveys? Yes, as odd as that seems nowadays. But news media face a difficult problem given how easy it is to conduct biased public opinion polling, especially now with online panels and social networks. So some news organizations like the Associated Press (AP), The New York Times, and ABC News have developed guidelines that specify for a survey or public opinion poll to be valid and reliable, it must be conducted by telephone.
(more…)
Tags: Data Collection, Internet, journalism, omnibus, Online Surveys, phone surveys, public opinion, Public Polls, Public Relations, Sampling
Posted in Data Collection, Omnibus Surveys, Online Surveys, Public Polls, Public Relations, Sampling | No Comments »
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
Two researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau recently outlined an emerging innovation in survey research that could reverse the trend towards passive, boring, self-administered surveys that characterizes much online research. The idea is to use internet avatars in real-time interviewing with survey respondents.
Beyond just the heightened interest of having an animated survey, the avatars would be programmed to register and interpret respondents’ verbal answers, facial expressions, and body language through webcams.
(more…)
Tags: Data Collection, insight, Internet, Market Research, Online Surveys, stories, survey technology
Posted in Data Collection, Future Trends, Market Research, Methods & Tools, New Products and Innovation, Online Surveys | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
One of the surprises of multi-mode research is that offering people a choice of how they want to complete a survey (online, by mail, by phone, etc.) does not necessarily boost response rates. An article in the most recent issue of Public Opinion Quarterly provides new evidence of this. The study showed that even in a population with full access to both mail and Internet options (and full literacy in both modes), a full mail survey achieves a higher response rate than a web-based survey. It also achieves a higher response rate than a choice of either mail or web. So much for our recent article on The Myth of Too Many Choices!
But the study went further to explore some ways of sequentially deploying multiple survey options and multiple modes of information that can substantially boost web-based survey response rates. Here are some key takeaways from the research: (more…)
Tags: Data Collection, Internet, Online Surveys, response rates, survey, survey respondents
Posted in Data Collection, Online Surveys, Survey Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, May 26th, 2011
A new study presented by two professors from Harvard University and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst was probably one of the liveliest and potentially disruptive presentations at least week’s annual meeting of the American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) in Phoenix.
Why? Because their research challenges the beliefs of many AAPOR-ites who disregard most online research as being theoretically indefensible since it is not based on probability sampling. The research presented was based on parallel surveys conducted last year, designed to allow careful comparison of three survey modes: (more…)
Tags: bias, census, Data Collection, Internet, journalism, media, news, Online Surveys, phone surveys, public opinion, Public Polls, Public Relations, Sampling
Posted in Data Collection, Methods & Tools, Online Surveys, Public Polls, Public Relations, Sampling | No Comments »
Saturday, April 16th, 2011
Among the many sources of potential error that can affect surveys are respondents themselves. They sometimes misinterpret questions, respond in socially acceptable ways, or give “easy” answers in hopes that a more interesting question is just around the corner.
This is not to say they are bad or fraudulent respondents. Research shows that the vast majority of survey respondents are careful, thoughtful, and truthful in how they answer survey questions. The problem with respondent error, it turns out, is poor survey design, which may involve biased or ambiguous questions, tasks that are too complicated or boring, surveys that are too long, and so on.
Recent research shows that grid-style questions that look like this:
or this: (more…)
Tags: bias, Data Collection, data quality, Market Research, Online Surveys, Survey Design, survey respondents
Posted in Data Collection, Market Research, Methods & Tools, Online Surveys, Survey Design, Survey Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
One might think that with evolving technologies, the old-fashioned ways of doing research, like using paper and pencil, might disappear. But it turns out that paper surveys are not dead, and here is a nice example that dramatically illustrates their value.
As newly-appointed director of market research for the American Marketing Association in Chicago, I oversee efforts to develop and organize events related to market research. I also oversee efforts to measure, track, and analyze customer satisfaction for all other events and activities sponsored by the AMA. For the past few events, the AMA collected feedback via an online survey sent by e-mail immediately after the events. They were also using a less-than-stellar do-it-yourself survey tool that promises to deliver “actionable insights!” at the click of a button.
The results were abysmal. (more…)
Tags: Data Collection, Online Surveys, phone surveys, survey technology
Posted in Data Collection, Market Research, Methods & Tools, Online Surveys | No Comments »