Page 116 - DMGT404 RESEARCH_METHODOLOGY

Research Methodology

Notes  Ensuring skip patterns are accurately followed. The Survey System can ensure people are
not asked questions they should skip based on their earlier answers. These automatic
skips are more accurate than relying on an Interviewer reading a paper questionnaire.
 Response rates are usually higher as it looks novel and interesting to some people.

Disadvantages

 The interviewees must have access to a computer or it must be provided for them.
 As with mail surveys, computer direct interviews may have serious response rate problems
in populations due to literacy levels being low.

6.4.4 E-mail Surveys

Email Questionnaire is a new type of questionnaire system that revolutionizes the way on-line
questionnaires are conducted. Unlike other on-line questionnaire systems that need a web
server to construct, distribute and manage results, Email Questionnaire is totally email based. It
works with the existing email system making on-line questionnaire surveys available to anyone
with an Internet connection.

Advantages

 Speed: An email questionnaire can gather several thousand responses within a day or two.
 There is practically no cost involved once the set up has been completed.

 Pictures and sound files can be attached.
 The novelty element of an email survey often stimulates higher response levels than
ordinary mail surveys.

Disadvantages

 Researcher must possess or purchase a list of email addresses.

 Some people will respond several times or pass questionnaires along to friends to answer.
 Many people dislike unsolicited email even more than unsolicited regular mail.
 Findings cannot be generalised with email surveys. People who have email are different
from those who do not, even when matched on demographic characteristics, such as age
and gender.
 Email surveys cannot automatically skip questions or randomize question.

6.4.5 Internet/Intranet (Web Page) Survey

Web surveys are rapidly gaining popularity. They have major speed, cost, and flexibility
advantages, but also significant sampling limitations. These limitations restrict the groups that
can be studied using this technique.

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Caution Software selection is especially important in internet survey so it should be selected
with proper care and after analyzing through feasibility studies

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