32) Which of the following survey methods has the highest response rate?
A) Mail surveys
B) Online surveys
C) Personal interviews
D) Online surveys
E) Postage surveys
Answer:
C
DATA COLLECTION METHODS There are a number of methods available to the researcher for collecting data. The commonly used data collection methods can be divided into three basic types:
FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE OF COLLECTION METHOD Complexity of Topic Types of data The kind of topics that can be properly covered vary across data collection method. For sensitive topics, self-administered methods are generally preferred to interviews as they are seen as more private. Sometimes a face to face interview will include a self-administered module for this reason. Surveys which require respondents to check records before they can answer, or check with other people who may not be immediately available, should also use self-administered methods. For this reason a telephone survey might involve mailing a form out for respondents to complete, but ask them to read out their answers over the phone.Non-response The quality and reliability of survey data can be significantly affected by the degree of response to a survey. Although it is very rare to achieve a 100 per cent response rate for any survey, the choice of collection method can significantly influence the response rate obtained. Personal interviews can achieve a better response rate than mail surveys or telephone surveys because it is more difficult to refuse to a person's face. However other factors such as whether the survey is compulsory, whether it is repeated and how the follow-up is conducted can mediate the effect of method on response.Respondent Preference How the collection method fits in with the life style or working style of the respondent should influence what collection method will be used, as this will increase respondent motivation. For example, the Retail Business Survey works well as a CATI survey in part because the respondents do much of their business over the phone and therefore are comfortable with this method. Some respondents have a strong preference for completing their forms electronically, and since the Electronic Transaction Act (July 2001) came into effect, respondents can insist on their right to do this for ABS surveys.Resources Available Sampling Frame and the Population The type and quality of the sampling frame may influence the choice of collection method. For example, if the target population includes the homeless, a mail survey is not suitable. The characteristics of the population may also influence the collection method. If we are interested in doing a survey which includes shift workers and other people who are not home during the times an interviewer could reach them, then a mail survey would be more appropriate than an interview.PERSONAL INTERVIEWS Personal Interview - Face to Face In the ABS personal interviews are used mostly for household social surveys. Personal interviews involve a trained interviewer going to the potential respondent, asking the questions and recording the responses. Because of the interaction involved when the interviewer is present, this method of data collection is effective in terms of:
Computer-Assisted Personal Interview
SELF-ENUMERATION METHODS In the ABS self-enumeration methods are mostly used in surveys of businesses. Self-enumeration surveys are those in which it is left to the respondents to complete the survey questionnaires. The following are three of the most common self-enumeration methods.Postal/Mail Survey Questionnaires are mailed out to respondents with a return-paid envelope so that the respondent can mail back the completed form. This technique allows:
Dropoff-Mailback and Dropoff-Pickup These two closely-related methods of self-enumeration surveys both provide higher response rates than postal surveys. In both cases, the questionnaire is delivered to respondents by an interviewer who explains the aims of the survey and how to fill out the questionnaire. The questionnaire is left with the respondent to be completed and either mailed back by the respondent or picked up by the interviewer at a later date. The costs involved in using interviewers makes this technique more expensive than postal surveys, but usually less expensive than personal interviews. This method has the same disadvantage as personal interviewing in that the respondent has to be available when the interviewer visits.Electronic Form or CASI TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS Telephone Interview In the ABS telephone surveys are used for both household and business surveys to some extent, however telephone data collection methods are used more widely for intensive follow-up and post-enumeration tests. Telephone interviews involve potential respondents being telephoned and asked the survey questions over the phone. This technique:
Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview Computer assisted data collection methods can also be used in telephone surveys. Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) involves responses being keyed directly into a computer by the telephone interviewer. This technique allows for:
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