Handbook of Web Surveys. Jelke Bethlehem
What is particular about this growth is that a number of generations are currently experiencing the contemporary and highly technological environment. Social media, constant connectivity, and on‐demand entertainments are innovations that Millennials (aged between 23 and 38 in 2019) adapted to as they grew up. For those born after 1996, the so‐called Generation Z (aged between 7 and 22 in 2019), these innovations are mostly taken for granted, having been part of their lives from the beginning. The iPhone was launched in 2007, when the oldest members of Generation Z were 10. By the time they are in their teens, young Americans access the Internet mainly via mobile devices, Wi‐Fi, and high‐bandwidth cellular services. Pre‐Millennial generations play an important role in the general population, but for them, this environment based on technological communication is a new experience.
The implications of some population subgroups having adapted to the technological environment (Millennials and pre‐Millennials) while others have lived in this “always on” technological environment all their lives are of relevance for survey‐based research, particularly in the case of web surveys. The way that questionnaires are administered undoubtedly has an impact which differs according to population group. Furthermore, the behavior of the respondents while participating depends on their digital experience, their generational characteristics, and their attitude toward technology in their lives. Therefore, surveys—and in particular web and mobile web surveys—have to adopt a number of changes in their methodology to take into account any differences in the cultural backgrounds of potential survey participants and the characteristics of the eventual devices used.
Due to high Internet penetration and the relatively low cost of conducting web surveys compared with other methods, the number of surveys being conducted via the Internet has increased dramatically over recent years. The panorama of survey‐based research has changed drastically over the last few decades.
First there was a change from traditional paper‐and‐pencil interviewing (PAPI) to computer‐assisted interviewing (CAI). Since the 1990s, there has been a gradual replacing of face‐to‐face surveys (CAPI), telephone surveys (CATI), and mail surveys (CASI, CSAQ) with web‐based surveys. With the relatively recent diffusion of smartphones and other mobile devices, it has become possible to run mobile web surveys, i.e., questionnaires sent to interviewees may be submitted and also completed via mobile devices. A web survey is a simple way to access a large group of potential respondents. Questionnaires can be distributed at very low cost. They require no interviewers, and there are no mailing or printing costs involved. Surveys can be launched rapidly, and little time is lost between the moment the questionnaire is ready and the moment that fieldwork begins. Web surveys also offer interesting new possibilities, such as the use of multimedia (images, sound, animation, and video). Panel surveys are also moving toward data collection via the web.
The recent trend toward the use of big data and the integration of data sources will not render the role of web surveys obsolete, although they may in the future have a different role.
At first sight, web surveys appear to have much in common with other types of survey, seeming to be just another way to collect data, with questions asked over the Internet instead of face‐to‐face, by telephone or via e‐mail. There are however a number of factors that may render the results of web surveys unreliable. Some examples are under‐coverage, self‐selection, and measurement errors. These can cause estimates of population characteristics to be biased, thus leading to incorrect conclusions being drawn from the data collected.
Under‐coverage occurs when the target population is wider than the number of people with Internet access. This leads to bias in estimates in the case of relevant differences between those with Internet access and those without.
Self‐selection is when a questionnaire is simply made available via Internet to all, with individuals nominating themselves.
A respondent is therefore anyone who happens to have Internet access, visits the website, and decides to take part in the survey. These participants generally differ significantly from nonparticipants.
General‐population surveys that aim to provide reliable and accurate statistics are traditionally carried out face‐to‐face or by telephone. Interviewers are used to persuade people to take part and to help respondents to provide the right answers. In web surveys, there is no interviewer assistance, a fact that can have serious impact on the quality of the data collected.
The diffusion of smartphones increases the possibility for interviewees to be reached via their mobile device and to have the questionnaire completed via the same device, resulting in the current trend in running mobile web surveys. Consequently, there are new risks for error in the survey due to device characteristics and the behavior of the user.
The researcher should have in mind that when a web survey is run a mobile web survey takes place, if questionnaire is not blocked against mobile devices. Here, for simplicity the term web surveys is used, meaninig the mobile web survey is included. Summing up, web surveys afford several challanges and need reseacher be conscious of the methodological issues for a good survey. At the time beeing, collecting data through web surveys is going to become a common practice both in market research, academic research and official statistics. Knowledge about how to manage a web survey, risks, errors and advantages is important.
This book provides an insight into the possible use of web surveys and mobile web surveys for data collection. Web surveys allow for lower data collection costs. It is also expected that web surveys lead to increased response rates. Is this the case? What about the quality of the data collected? This book examines many theoretical and practical aspects of mobile web surveys and can therefore be considered as a handbook for those involved in practical survey research, including survey researchers working with official statistics (e.g., in national statistical institutes), academics, and commercial market research.
The book's two authors have widespread expertise in survey methodology. They come from two different countries (the Netherlands and Italy) and different research organizations (a national statistical institute and a university). They therefore provide a broad view on the various theoretical and practical aspects of mobile web surveying.
The second edition of the book involves a revision of each chapter with the following criteria:
(1) to maintain the existing text and content as much as possible, (2) to update the existing text and content with comments based on new literature and results, and (3) to add new paragraphs (if necessary) to cover new relevant topics (see the contents and chapter description below). A number of new examples have been provided, some of the existing examples have been updated or substituted, and some applications have been replaced. Updates have also been included to highlight new trends in web surveys and emerging solutions. There are two new chapters on topics concerning mobile web surveys: one presenting a flowchart to illustrate the steps involved in running a survey via web and the other examining adaptive design. It was therefore necessary to renumber the chapters in respect to the first edition.
The first two chapters of the book provide an introduction into web surveys. Chapter 1 provides a historic account of developments in survey research and shows how web surveys have become a tool for data collection. Section examines the Blaise system, which has been around for more than 30 years. New developments have taken place over the last 10 years, but no papers have been written on this subject. The section looks at the history and recent developments regarding Blaise; it was written by Lon Hofman and Mark Pierzchala and is published for the first time here.
Chapter 2 is an overview of basic aspects of web surveys. It describes how and where they can be used. Official statistics departments, research institutions, market research companies, and private forums are all interested in web surveys studying both households/individuals and businesses.
Chapter 3 presents a flowchart illustrating the steps (and sub‐steps) of web surveys, each accompanied by a short description. The flowchart is of potential use to both practitioners as a guideline for how the survey process should be carried out and to researchers