Download full text
(external source)
Citation Suggestion
Please use the following Persistent Identifier (PID) to cite this document:
https://doi.org/10.1093/jssam/smae008
Exports for your reference manager
Concurrent, Web-First, or Web-Only? How Different Mode Sequences Perform in Recruiting Participants for a Self-Administered Mixed-mode Panel Study
[journal article]
Abstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, many survey programs switched to self-administered modes of data collection, often offering respondents both web-based and paper-based questionnaires. However, there is little guidance as to when to offer which mode, especially when the aim is to recruit participants fo... view more
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many survey programs switched to self-administered modes of data collection, often offering respondents both web-based and paper-based questionnaires. However, there is little guidance as to when to offer which mode, especially when the aim is to recruit participants for a panel survey. This study examines the effectiveness of different mode-sequence designs by analyzing an experiment implemented in the recruitment wave of the German panel study "Family Research and Demographic Analysis." We randomly assigned 108,256 individuals aged 18-49 years to one of three mode-sequence-design conditions: concurrent, web-first including a paper-based questionnaire with the second reminder (web-first-2), and web-first including a paper-based questionnaire with the third reminder (web-first-3). A fourth, simulated group did not receive a paper-based questionnaire (web-only). We analyzed how different mode-sequence designs affected outcome rates, sample composition, response distributions, data quality, share of paper-based questionnaires, postage costs, number of postal mailings in the recruitment wave, and participation in the first regular wave. Our results show no differences in response distributions and small differences in sample composition across the four mode-sequence designs. As the web-first-2 and simulated web-only designs yielded comparatively good response and recruitment rates at reasonable costs, we recommend their use when surveying adults between 18 and 49 years old.... view less
Während der COVID-19-Pandemie gingen viele Erhebungsprogramme zu selbstverwalteten Formen der Datenerhebung über und boten den Befragten häufig sowohl webbasierte als auch papierbasierte Fragebögen an. Es gibt jedoch kaum Anhaltspunkte dafür, wann welcher Modus angeboten werden sollte, insbesondere ... view more
Während der COVID-19-Pandemie gingen viele Erhebungsprogramme zu selbstverwalteten Formen der Datenerhebung über und boten den Befragten häufig sowohl webbasierte als auch papierbasierte Fragebögen an. Es gibt jedoch kaum Anhaltspunkte dafür, wann welcher Modus angeboten werden sollte, insbesondere wenn das Ziel darin besteht, Teilnehmende für eine Panelerhebung zu rekrutieren. Diese Studie untersucht die Effektivität verschiedener Modus-Sequenz-Designs durch die Analyse eines Experiments, das in der Rekrutierungswelle der deutschen Panelstudie "Familienforschung und Demographische Analyse" durchgeführt wurde.... view less
Keywords
survey research; data capture; panel; survey; online survey
Classification
Methods and Techniques of Data Collection and Data Analysis, Statistical Methods, Computer Methods
Free Keywords
Mixed-mode; Mode-choice design; Panel survey; Recruitment experiment; Self-administered modes
Document language
English
Publication Year
2024
Journal
Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology (2024)
ISSN
2325-0992
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed