Effects of Questionnaire Length on Participation and Indicators of Response Quality in a Web Survey
2009/05/28 by Mirta Galešić, M. Galesic, M. Bosnjak +1 · 1,234 citations
Computer Science · Mathematics · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Applied psychology #Computer science #Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods #Mathematics #Mobile Crowdsensing and Crowdsourcing #Physics #Psychology #Quality (philosophy) #Statistics #Survey Methodology and Nonresponse #Web survey #World Wide Web
paper · doi:10.1093/poq/nfp031
published in Public Opinion Quarterly 73(2), 349-360 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 2009/05/28 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract
This paper investigates how expected and actual question naire length affects cooperation rates and a variety of indicators of data quality in web surveys. We hypothesized that the expected length of a web-based questionnaire is negatively related to the initial willingness to participate. Moreover, the serial position of questions was predicted to influence four indicators of data quality. We hypothesized that ques tions asked later in a web-based questionnaire will, compared to those asked earlier, be associated with (a) shorter response times, (b) higher item-nonresponse rates, (c) shorter answers to open-ended questions, and (d) less variability to items arranged in grids. To test these assump tions, we manipulated the stated length (10, 20, and 30 minutes) and the position of questions in an online questionnaire consisting of ran domly ordered blocks of thematically related questions. As expected, the longer the stated length, the fewer respondents started and completed the questionnaire. In addition, answers to questions positioned later in the questionnaire were faster, shorter, and more uniform than answers to questions positioned near the beginning.
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