A Comparison of Response Rate, Response Time, and Costs of Mail and Electronic Surveys

• Published in: The Journal of experimental education Vol. 70; no. 2; pp. 179 - 192
• Main Authors: Shannon, David M., Bradshaw, Carol C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Taylor & Francis Group 2002; Heldref Publications; Heldref; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: College Faculty; Computer mediated communication; Confidentiality; Costs; Educational Research; Educational sciences; Electrical phases; Electronic Mail; electronic surveys; Email; Higher Education; Internet; Mail services; Mailings; Marketing; Measurement, Statistics, and Research Design; Methodology; Opinion polls; Polls & surveys; Privacy; Professionals; Public opinion; Questionnaires; R&D; Reaction time; Research & development; Research Methodology; Researchers; Response rates; Response Rates (Questionnaires); Response time; response times; School surveys; Self efficacy; survey research; Survey sampling; Surveys; Surveys, interviews; Time Management; University faculty; World Wide Web; USA; New York; United States > US; Response; Educational Research; Survey; Methodology; Internet; Comparative analysis; Cost
• ISSN: 0022-0973; 1940-0683
• DOI: 10.1080/00220970209599505

Response rates, response time, and costs of mail and electronic surveys were compared. The survey sample consisted of college faculty in the southeastern United States. Mail surveys yielded a higher response rate and a lower rate of unde-liverable surveys. However, receipt of responses was significantly quicker for those delivered electronically, with over 80% of initial responses arriving before receipt of the 1st returned mail survey. The costs associated with distribution of surveys and preparation of data for analysis were much lower with the electronically delivered surveys.