Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Volume 24, Issue 1, Pages 15-29Publisher
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/13645579.2020.1756618
Keywords
Response rate; mail survey; semi-transparent envelope; questionnaire; survey schedule
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The study examined four variables that were expected to influence mail survey response rates but found no significant differences in response rates for any of the experimental variables.
While many studies examine tools and techniques to improve survey response rates, it remains unclear as to which are effective, and response rates continue to decline. In this study, we examine the effect of four variables expected to influence mail survey response rates: (1) the use of semi-transparent envelopes versus ordinary paper envelopes for delivery, (2) the level of content in the request letter (simple or detailed), (3) the length of the questionnaire, and (4) the survey schedule. We found that the total response rate was 45.4%, while those of the experimental conditions were as follows: (1) semi-transparent versus ordinary paper envelopes, 46.2% versus 44.7%; (2) simple versus detailed request letters, 44.7% versus 46.2%; (3) 4-page versus 8-page questionnaires, 46.0%versus 44.8%; and (4) holiday versus ordinary day, 45.6% versus 45.3%.We found no significant differences in response rates for any of the experimental variables; that is, the logistic regression analysis revealed no relationship between the four experimental conditions and the response rate.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available