EFFECTS OF QUESTIONNAIRE LENGTH, RESPONDENT-FRIENDLY DESIGN, AND A DIFFICULT QUESTION ON RESPONSE RATES FOR OCCUPANT-ADDRESSED CENSUS MAIL SURVEYS

• Published in: Public opinion quarterly Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 289 - 304
• Main Authors: DILLMAN, DON A., SINCLAIR, MICHAEL D., CLARK, JON R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01-10-1993; University of Chicago Press; Public Opinion Quarterly, Inc; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Census; Census forms; Censuses; Design; Effects; Focus groups; History, theory and methodology; Mail; Mail Surveys; Mailings; Methodology; Polls & surveys; Questionnaires; Rates; Research Responses; Response effects; Response rates; Social research; Sociology; Statistical analysis; Statistical significance; Studies; Survey design; Survey responses; Surveys; U.S.A; United States; Written correspondence; United States Of America; United States > US; Response; Census; Questionnaire; Methodology; Public Opinion; Mail Survey
• ISSN: 0033-362X; 1537-5331
• DOI: 10.1086/269376

An experimental study of alternatives to the current U.S. decennial census questionnaire shows that shortening the questionnaire and respondent-friendly questionnaire design improve response, whereas asking a potentially difficult and/or objectionable question, that is, social security number, lowers response. This national study of 17,000 household addresses also demonstrates that relatively high mail survey response can be achieved without addressing correspondence to individual names of residents.