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Design effects in the transition to web-based surveys.
Don A Dillman1, Jolene D Smyth
1Social and Economic Sciences Research Center, Department of Sociology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-4014, USA. dillman@wsu.edu
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|May 1, 2007
Summary
Web survey design innovations must address potential measurement errors to ensure data quality. This research reviews how web survey formats and visual design impact question responses and offers design guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Survey Methodology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Data Quality Assurance
Background:
- Survey mode innovations, like web surveying, require careful consideration of quality issues such as measurement error.
- Despite technological opportunities, systematic research on web survey innovations' impact on measurement error is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how web survey design choices influence measurement error.
- To provide an overview of recent research on web mode effects on question asking and answering.
- To offer evidence-based guidelines for effective web survey design.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent research on web survey measurement error.
- Analysis of how question formats from other modes perform in web surveys.
- Examination of visual design elements in web surveys and their impact on responses.
Main Results:
- Question formats may perform differently in the web mode compared to traditional modes.
- Visual design elements can significantly and unexpectedly influence respondent answers.
- Strategic use of visual design can guide respondents toward desired answer formats.
Conclusions:
- Web survey design requires a nuanced understanding of potential measurement errors.
- Visual design is a critical, yet often overlooked, factor in web survey data quality.
- Guidelines are proposed to help researchers optimize web survey design for improved data accuracy.
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