Abstract
Platforms for administering surveys have evolved in the past 20 years, and increasingly electronic platforms are utilized by many research programs. Historically, paper-and-pencil interviewing was the norm, and in recent years computer-assisted interviewing has been adopted by many. This chapter considers the questionnaire as a mode of data collection, the use of survey methods that employed paper and pencil, their merits, and limitations. It also compares traditional and online surveys, reasons for their wider adoption, and potential into the future. The discussion also considers ethics liabilities and strengths of data management in which either data collection platforms are used. Researchers should choose the most appropriate method depending on the topic, goals of the study, geographic region, timeframe, and budget. The issues highlighted above may need exploring through methodological research.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aransiola JO, Akinyemi AI, Akinlo A, Togonu-Bickesteeth F. Grandparenting in selected West African countries: implications for health and hygiene behaviours in the household. GrandFamilies: Contemp J Res Pract Pol. 2017;4(1):195. http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/grandfamilies/vol4/iss1/11.
Blasius J, Brandt M. Representativeness in online surveys through stratified samples. Bull Méthodologie Sociol. 2010;107:5–21.
Bowling A. Mode of questionnaire administration can have serious effects on data quality. J Publ Health (Oxf). 2005;27(3):281–91. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdi031.
Bowling A, Windsor J. The effects of question order and response-choice on self-rated health status in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). J Epidemiol Community Health. 2008;62(1):81–5. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2006.058214.
Brandt R. Website vs. traditional survey ratings. Do they tell the same story? Mark Res. 2012. http://www.thevoicecrafter.com/files/107673625.pdf.
Brigham J, Lessov-Schlaggar NC, Javitz SH, Krasnow ER, McElroy M, Swan EG. Test-retest reliability of web-based retrospective self-report of tobacco exposure and risk. J Med Internet Res. 2009;11(3):e35. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.1248.
Callegaro M, Manfreda KL, Vehovar V. Mario callegaro discusses web survey methodology. Slovenia, University of Ljubljana: SAGE Research Methods; 2017.
Cooper MP. The future of modes of data collection. Publ Opin Q. 2011;75(5):889–908.
Devine P, Lloyd K. Internet use and psychological well-being among 10-year-old and 11-year-old children. Child Care Pract. 2012;18(1):5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2011.621888.
Egan J. Why online surveys top traditional surveys. 2016. https://icitizen.com/blog/why-online-surveys-top-traditional-surveys/.
Fricker S, Galesic M, Tourangeau R, Yan T. An experimental comparison of web and telephone surveys. Publ Opin Q. 2005;69(3):370–92.
Graham AL, Papandonatos GD, Bock BC, Cobb NK, Baskin-Sommers A, Niaura R, Abrams DB. Internet- vs. telephone-administered questionnaires in a randomized trial of smoking cessation. Nicotine Tob Res: Off J Soc Res Nicotine Tob. 2006;8(Suppl 1):S49–57.
Greenlaw C, Brown-Welty S. A comparison of web-based and paper-based survey methods: testing assumptions of survey mode and response cost. Eval Rev. 2009;33(5):464–80. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841x09340214.
Hohwü L, Lyshol H, Gissler M, Jonsson SH, Petzold M, Obel C. Web-based versus traditional paper questionnaires: a mixed-mode survey with a nordic perspective. J Med Internet Res. 2013;15(8):e173. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2595.
Hoogendorn AW, Daalmans J. Nonresponse in the requirement of an Internet panel based on probability sampling. Surv Res Methods. 2009;3:59–72.
Kellner P. Can online polls produce accurate findings. Int J Mark Res. 2004;46(1):3–22.
Kongsved MS, Basnov M, Holm-Christensen K, Hjollund HN. Response rate and completeness of questionnaires: a randomized study of internet versus paper-and-pencil versions. J Med Internet Res. 2007;9(3):e25. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9.3.e25.
Kramer ADI, Guillory JE, Hancock JT. Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2014;111(24):8788–90. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1320040111.
Liljeberg H, Krambeer S. Bevölkerungs-repräsentative Onlinebefragungen. Die Entdeckung des Scharzen Schimmel? Planung und Analyse, Sonderdruck: online, social, mobile: what’s next? 2012.
Marleen MHJ, van Gelder MM, Reini W, Roeleveld N. Web-based questionnaires: the future in epidemiology? Am J Epidemiol. 2010;172(11):1292–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwq291.
McColl E, Jacoby A, Thomas L, Soutter J, Bamford C, Steen N,…, Bond J. Design and use of questionnaires: a review of best practice applicable to surveys of health service staff and patients. Health Technol Assess. 2001;5(31):1–256.
McKoy Davis JG, Willie-Tyndale D, Mitchell-Fearon K, Holder-Nevins D, James K, Eldemire-Shearer D. Caregiving among community-dwelling grandparents in Jamaica. GrandFamilies: Contemp J Res Pract Policy. 2017;4(1):7–40
Mhaka-Mutepfa M, Cumming R, Mpofu E. Grandparents fostering orphans: influences of protective factors on their health and well-being. Health Care Women Int. 2014;35(7–9):1022–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399332.2014.916294.
Morales-Vives F, Vigil-Colet A, Lorenzo-Seva U, Ruiz-Pamies M. How social desirability and acquiescence affects the age–personality relationship. Personal Individ Differ. 2014;60(Supplement):S16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.07.370.
Newman JC, Des Jarlais DC, Turner CF, Gribble J, Cooley P, Paone D. The differential effects of face-to-face and computer interview modes. Am J Public Health. 2002;92:294–7.
Nosek B, Hawkins C, Frazier R. Implicit social cognition: from measures to mechanisms. Trends Cogn Sci. 2011;15(4):152–9.
Pew Research Centre.The demographics of social media users. 2015. http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/2008/2019/the-demographics-of-social-media-users/.
Ponto J. Understanding and evaluating survey research. J Adv Pract Oncol. 2015;6(2):168–71.
Poushter J. Smartphone ownership and internet usage continues to climb in emerging economies. Pew research center. 2017. Pewglobal.org. http://www.pewglobal.org/2016/2002/2022/smartphone-ownership-and-internet-usage-continues-to-climb-in-emerging-economies/.
Rankin KM, Rauscher GH, McCarthy B, Erdal S, Lada P, Il’yasova D, Davis F. Comparing the reliability of responses to telephone-administered vs. self-administered web-based surveys in a case-control study of adult malignant brain cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev. 2008;17(10):2639–46. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0304.
Schoen KL, Crilly N. Implicit methods for testing product preference exploratory studies with the affective simon task. 2012. http://www-edc.eng.cam.ac.uk/~nc266/WebFiles/Schoen_&_Crilly_(2012)_Implicit_methods_(Design_&_Emotion).pdf.
Spek V, Nyklícek I, Cuijpers P. Internet administration of the Edinburgh Depression Scale. J Affect Disord. 2008;106(3):301–5.
Szolnoki G, Hoffmann D. Online, face-to-face and telephone surveys – comparing different sampling methods in wine consumer research. Wine Econ Policy. 2013;2(2):57–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wep.2013.10.001.
Taylor PA, Nelson NM, Grandjean BD, Anatchkova B, Aadland D. Mode effects and other potential biases in panel-based internet surveys final report. 2009. Retrieved from Wyoming Survey & Analysis Centre.
Tourangeau R, Yan T. Sensitive questions in surveys. Psychol Bull. 2007;133(5):859–83. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.5.859.
Touvier M, Méjean C, Kesse-Guyot E. Comparison between web-based and paper versions of a self-administered anthropometric questionnaire. Eur J Epidemiol. 2010;25(5):287–96.
UN News Centre. Billions of people in developing world still without Internet access, new UN report finds. 2015. www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=51924.
van den Berg MH, Overbeek A, van der Pal HJ, Versluys AB, Bresters D, van Leeuwen FE, … van Dulmen-den Broeder E. Using web-based and paper-based questionnaires for collecting data on fertility issues among female childhood cancer survivors: differences in response characteristics. J Med Internet Res. 2011;13(3):e76. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.1707.
van Gelder MMHJ, Bretveld RW, Roeleveld N. Web-based questionnaires: the future in epidemiology? Am J Epidemiol. 2010;172(11):1292–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwq291.
Varkevisser CM, Pathmanathan I, Brownlee A. Designing and conducting health systems research projects. Proposal Dev Fieldwork. 2003;1:1–357
Walker T. State of the internet 1st quarter 2012. 2012. comScore.
Wyatt JC. When to use web-based surveys. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2000;7(5):426–9.
Zhang X, Kuchinke L, Woud ML, Velten J, Margraf J. Survey method matters: online/offline questionnaires and face-to-face or telephone interviews differ. Comput Hum Behav. 2017;71:172–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.006.
Zuidgeest M, Hendriks M, Koopman L, Spreeuwenberg P, Rademakers J. A comparison of a postal survey and mixed-mode survey using a questionnaire on patients’ experiences with breast care. J Med Internet Res. 2011;13(3):e68. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.1241.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this entry
Cite this entry
Mutepfa, M.M., Tapera, R. (2019). Traditional Survey and Questionnaire Platforms. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Research Methods in Health Social Sciences. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5251-4_89
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5251-4_89
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-5250-7
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-5251-4
eBook Packages: Social SciencesReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences