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Identifying predictors of survey mode preference.
Jolene D Smyth1, Kristen Olson2, Morgan M Millar3
1Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 724 Oldfather Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0324, United States.
Survey organizations can improve response rates by assigning preferred survey modes. Mode preference is best predicted by access and familiarity, not safety or physical abilities.
Area of Science:
- Survey methodology
- Social sciences research
Background:
- Survey organizations aim to boost response rates by offering preferred modes.
- Current mode assignment relies on limited data or conventional wisdom.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop a framework to identify characteristics predicting survey mode preference.
- Test this framework using data from two distinct surveys.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on mode effects and survey participation.
- Statistical analysis of survey data to identify predictors of mode preference.
Main Results:
- Familiarity with and access to a survey mode are the strongest predictors of preference.
- Safety concerns, physical abilities, and normative concerns showed weak predictive power.
Conclusions:
- Survey frame data can inform preferred mode assignment.
- Shift from conventional wisdom to data-driven mode assignment is recommended.
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What is a Mode?
There can be more than one mode in a data set if multiple values have the same highest frequency. For instance, suppose that the Statistics exam scores of 20 students are: 50; 53; 59; 59; 63; 63; 72; 72; 72; 72; 72; 76; 78; 81; 83; 84; 84; 84; 90; 93. Here, the mode is 72, as it occurs most frequently, five times.
A data set with two modes is called bimodal. For example,...
Data Collection by Survey