scholarly journals Every Door Direct Mail in US survey research: An anonymous census approach to mail survey sampling

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 205979911986210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Grubert
Keyword(s):  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Lower Cost ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Direct Mail ◽  
Postal Service ◽  
United States Postal Service ◽  
Household Level

Mail surveys remain a popular method of eliciting attitudinal information, but declining response rates motivate inquiry into new, lower cost methods of contacting potential respondents. This work presents methodological findings from a medium-sized (~12,000 addresses) mail survey testing a United States Postal Service direct mail product called Every Door Direct Mail as a low-cost approach to anonymous mail survey distribution. The results suggest that under certain conditions, Every Door Direct Mail can be a useful approach for mail survey distribution, with response rates similar to those observed with analogous first-class mailing approaches but lower cost per response. As a tool for postal carrier-route saturation mailing that does not use names or addresses, Every Door Direct Mail is potentially useful for researchers who work in small, specific geographies or value or require anonymity. The results from this work suggest good performance on demographics and socially undesirable answers for Every Door Direct Mail relative to addressed mailings. The major disadvantages include an inability to conduct household-level probability sampling, an inability to customize nonresponse follow-up, and minimum mailing sizes associated with the postal carrier route saturation requirement. Every Door Direct Mail is unlikely to become a major tool for survey researchers, but it could be useful in niche applications. This study introduces Every Door Direct Mail to the survey methodology literature and presents empirical data intended to help researchers considering using Every Door Direct Mail.

scholarly journals The effect of a web-push survey on physician survey response rates: a randomized experiment.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristine D. Delnevo ◽  
Binu Singh
Keyword(s):  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
National Sample ◽  
High Response Rate ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Effective Delivery ◽  
The Web

Abstract Background: Achieving a high response rate for physicians has been challenging and with response rates declining in recent years, innovative methods are needed to increase rates. An emerging concept in survey methodology has been web-push survey delivery. In this delivery method, contact is made by mail to request a response by web. This study explored the feasibility of a web-push survey on a national sample of physicians. Methods: 1000 physicians across six specialties were randomly assigned to a mail only or web-push survey delivery. Each mode consisted of four contacts including an initial mailing, reminder postcard, and two additional follow-ups. Response rates were calculated using AAPOR’s response rate 3 calculation. Data collection occurred between Febuary – April 2018 and analyzed March 2019. Results: Overall reponse rates for the mail only vs. web-push survey delivery were comparable (51.2% vs. 52.8%). Higher response rates across all demographics were seen in the web-push delivery with the exception of pulmonary/critical care and physicians over the age of 65. The web-push survey yielded a greater response after the first mailing requiring fewer follow-up contacts resulting in a more cost-effective delivery. Conclusions: A web-push mail survey is effective in achieveing a comparable response rate to traditional mail only delivery for physicians. The web-push survey was more efficient in terms of cost and in receiving responses in a more timely manner. Future research should explore the efficiency of a web-push survey delivery across various health care provider populations.

scholarly journals Response Bias in a Mail Survey: An Example from a Land Use Study

1980 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-96
Author(s):  
Gregory K. White
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Response Bias ◽  
Unit Cost ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Mail Surveys ◽  
The University

Researchers are well aware that each technique for administering surveys has its own advantages and disadvantages. Direct interviews, either by telephone or in person, have a relatively high cost per contact but usually result in a higher percentage of questionnaire completions and greater control of the response quality. Mail surveys can be conducted at a lower per unit cost but are often characterized by lower response rates and an overall poorer quality of completed questionnaires. Even with follow-up mailings, recent studies at the University of Maine suggest that response rates of 35 to 45 percent can be expected on general land use surveys or recreation studies.

An Investigation into the Effects of Questionnaire Format and Color Variations on Mail Survey Response Rates

1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Lagarce ◽  
Judith Washburn
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Survey Response ◽  
Color Design ◽  
Incentive Program ◽  
Questionnaire Version ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Monitoring Response

This study examines the effect on mail survey response rates of variations in questionnaire color and format. A follow-up mail survey to a corporate incentive program was sent to more than 3,500 participants. Monitoring response rates by questionnaire version showed that a user-friendly format, followed by a two-color design, significantly increased response rates. Question wording and sequencing remained the same across questionnaire versions while format and color varied. A literature review revealed three issues addressed by past studies—structural, functional, and incentive—that impact response rates. Previous studies have found no response rate increases due to altering the color of a questionnaire. However, this study found that a user-friendly format, and to some extent color, was valuable for increasing mail survey response rates. Implications for writers of all forms of communication are drawn.

Effects of alternative follow-up procedures on mail survey response rates.

1974 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Etzel ◽  
Bruce J. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Survey Response

An Exploratory Analysis of Family Social Science Mail Survey Response Rates

1995 ◽  
Vol 76 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1379-1388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles A. Calahan ◽  
Walter R. Schumm
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Survey Response ◽  
Individual Student ◽  
Total Design

Dillman (1978) has aggressively promoted his Total Design Method as a proven technique for generating higher response rates to social science surveys. Many university faculty teach his technique on the assumption that its use will generate high response rates for the individual student who uses it faithfully in thesis or dissertation research. In an exploratory assessment of six of Dillman's mail survey steps—quality of covering letter, use of follow-ups, importance of the study, survey's appearance or readability, survey's length, and type of sample (general public or specialized population)—with 15 family social science surveys, we found that, despite the small sample size, type of sample, and follow-up predicted mail survey response rates, as did a summary measure of the use of all six steps. The results suggest that the Total Design Method's mail survey steps are useful even for low-cost research by graduate students.

Comparing Two Web/Mail Mixed-mode Contact Protocols to a Unimode Mail Survey

Field Methods ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milton G. Newberry ◽  
Glenn D. Israel
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Mode ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Nonresponse Bias ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Mode Effects ◽  
Utilization Data

Recent research has shown mixed-mode surveys are advantageous for organizations to use in collecting data. Previous research explored web/mail mode effects for four-contact waves. This study explores the effect of web/mail mixed-mode systems over a series of contacts on the customer satisfaction data from the Florida Cooperative Extension Service during 2012–2013. The experimental design involved a group of clients who provided e-mail and mail contact information randomly assigned to two mixed-mode treatment groups and a mail-only control. Demographic and service utilization data were compared to assess response rates and nonresponse bias. Logistic regression showed the treatment groups had similar response rates and nonresponse bias. The fifth contact was statistically significant in increasing response rates but did not reduce nonresponse bias. Future research should continue exploring optimizing the number of contacts in mixed-mode survey methodology.

Reappraising Mail Survey Response Rates

1974 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 413-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eli P. Cox ◽  
W. Thomas Anderson ◽  
David G. Fulcher
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Survey Response ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Minimum Sample Size ◽  
Mail Questionnaire ◽  
Minimum Sample ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys

Numerous studies have evaluated various techniques for increasing response rates in mail questionnaire surveys. This study examines two such techniques (personalized cover letters and follow-up post reminders), but goes beyond the single criterion of response reliability to consider budget and time constraints, as well as minimum sample size requirements for analysis purposes.

scholarly journals What’s in a Name? Effects of Alternative Forms of Addressing Households on Response Rates and Data Quality in an Address-based Mail Survey

Field Methods ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Dykema ◽  
Nadia Assad ◽  
Griselle Sanchez-Diettert ◽  
Kelly Elver ◽  
John Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Data Quality ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Postal Service ◽  
Item Nonresponse ◽  
Mail Surveys ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
The Impact

Best practices in mail survey design advise personalizing correspondence, but most research predates the use of address-based sampling (ABS) in which a householder’s name either cannot be matched to an address or may be matched incorrectly. Further, recent evidence casts doubt on the effectiveness of personalization. The current study examines the impact of using a personalized versus a generic salutation on response rates and data quality in an ABS mail survey of the general population. A sample of 2,000 household addresses in Wisconsin was randomly selected from the U.S. Postal Service Delivery Sequence File. For households in the personalized salutation group, all materials used the surname of the household; cases in the generic salutation group referred to the state conducting the survey. While personalization was not related to response rates, it was associated with higher levels of item nonresponse. Findings support current recommendations not to use names in ABS mail surveys.

Can Follow-up Response Rates to a Mail Survey Be Increased by Including Another Copy of the Questionnaire?

1980 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Swan ◽  
Donald E. Epley ◽  
William L. Burns
Keyword(s):  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Return Rates

In a mail survey of business respondents, this experiment tested the hypothesis that return rates from follow-ups which included another copy of the questionnaire would be more effective than letter-only follow-ups. Sending another copy of the questionnaire in the follow-up could increase returns for a number of reasons, such as providing another questionnaire for respondents who had discarded the original. The two methods were equally effective in the first follow-up, however, in the second follow-up returns from the letter-plus-questionnaire were almost twice that of the letter-only group. The results suggest that in planning a mail survey, it may be appropriate to consider a letter-only first follow-up and a letter-plus-questionnaire second follow-up.

Survey Return Rates for Multiple-Authored versus Single-Authored Covering Letters

2010 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-212
Author(s):  
James H. Price ◽  
Jagdish Khubchandani ◽  
Michele Bryant ◽  
Megan Rickard ◽  
Candace Hendershot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Return Rates ◽  
Covering Letter

Differences in response rates to a three-wave mail survey were assessed when the covering letters were signed by three versus one researcher. 375 surveys including covering letters signed by three researchers and 375 surveys including covering letters signed by one researcher were sent. A follow-up mailing was used to increase the response rate. 199 surveys were returned (53.5%) in which the covering letter had three researchers, and 218 when the covering letter had one researcher (58.7%), not a significantly different distribution.

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