Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
06:48
Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
Differences in responses to Web and paper surveys among school professionals
Georgette Yetter1, Kristen Capaccioli
1School of Applied Health and Educational Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. georgette.yetter@okstate.edu
Behavior Research Methods
|February 18, 2010
Summary
Web surveys had lower response rates than paper surveys for school professionals. Short surveys improved paper response rates, and Web respondents were younger. Paper surveys are recommended for this demographic.
Area of Science:
- Educational Research
- Survey Methodology
- Social Sciences
Background:
- Survey administration mode and length can influence participant response rates and characteristics.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for effective data collection in educational settings.
- Previous research offers insights but specific comparisons between Web and paper surveys in this context are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of survey administration mode (Web vs. paper) and survey length (short vs. long) on response rates and respondent demographics.
- To compare the efficacy of different survey methods for reaching primary and secondary school professionals.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for survey design in educational research.
Main Methods:
- A randomized experiment was conducted with 812 primary and secondary school professionals in the U.S.
- Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: short Web, long Web, short paper, or long paper surveys.
- Response rates and demographic data (age) were analyzed across the different conditions.
Main Results:
- Web surveys yielded substantially lower response rates compared to paper-and-pencil surveys.
- Short surveys showed higher response rates than long surveys for paper administration, but not for Web.
- Web survey respondents were, on average, younger than paper survey respondents.
Conclusions:
- Paper-and-pencil survey methods are recommended for surveying professionals in primary and secondary school settings due to higher response rates.
- The choice of survey mode may introduce age-related biases in respondent samples.
- Further research could explore reasons for lower Web survey engagement among educators.
Related Concept Videos
02:16Surveys
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
02:01Group Design
The most basic experimental design involves two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The two groups are designed to be the same except for one difference— experimental manipulation. The experimental group gets the experimental manipulation—that is, the treatment or variable being tested—and the control group does not. Since experimental manipulation is the only difference between the experimental and control groups, we can be sure that any differences between the two are due to...
01:28Survey Safety
Surveying near highways, rough terrain, or power lines involves significant risks. Working along highways is particularly dangerous and requires the use of warning signs and flagmen. It is safest to avoid working directly on roads and use offsets whenever possible. When highway work is unavoidable, it must follow all safety guidelines. Surveyors should wear bright clothing, such as orange reflective vests, to ensure visibility to motorists, coworkers, and hunters. In construction zones, wearing...
01:27Types of Surveys
Surveys are essential for marking property boundaries near water bodies. Different types of surveys are defined, each with its own function. Land surveys mark the property boundaries, while route surveys determine the position of properties on nearby highways. Topographic surveys create maps by capturing the three-dimensional features of the land. Hydrographic surveys focus on the shapes of underwater areas and the movement of streams through the properties. Mine surveys determine the relative...
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...