Online surveys

It's possible to reach people in an easy and effective way by administering surveys on the internet.

Internet surveys are a very easy and convenient way to reach people. Internet surveys are usually administered to a group of people whose email addresses are at hand, such as e.g. members of an organization or group of employees. In some instances, participants are first contacted via telephone and asked which email address they would like to have the survey sent to, if they agree to participation. This method ensures that the survey is sent to an active email address.

The Institute handles all aspects of an Internet survey; the sample selection – when applicable, the questionnaire construction and online formatting, data collection and analysis. The program used is simple and leads the respondent step by step through the questionnaire.

There are some notable benefits to administering surveys online. Data collection is much less time consuming and cost-effective than for example in a telephone survey. Also, in order to increase response rate, sending reminders is easy. Instructions can be very detailed and even illustrated if necessary.

The response rate in an Internet survey is on a wide scale and it depends on the kind of sample group and method used. For example, the response rate is often lower when a questionnaire is posted as a link on a website. On the other hand the answer ration can go up to almost 90% if participants are directed to the study via a personalized URL and when the sample consists of a select group of people who benefit directly or indirectly from the survey being conducted.

The Institute’s project managers can provide further information via telephone 525-4545 or via email ssri@hi.is