Web versus Paper Questionnaires: A Design and Functionality Comparison

1
Web versus Paper Questionnaires A Design and
Functionality Comparison

• Jacqui Jones, Carina Fraser Zoë Dowling
• UK Office for National Statistics

2
Aims of the paper

• To compare contrast the design and
  functionality of web and paper questionnaires
  from the perspectives of the survey organisation
  and respondents

3
Overview

• A comparison of web paper design
  functionality
• Considerations for the survey organisation
• What is within the control of the survey
  organisation?

4
Web versus Paper

• Questionnaire length
• Validation
• Routing
• Additional questionnaire information

5

• Personalising questionnaires

6

• Personalising questionnaires

7
Considerations for the Survey Organisation

• Data quality
• Respondent burden (actual perceived)
• The response process
• Survey organisation costs
• Respondent costs

8
Within the control of the Survey Organisation

• For both Web and Paper the survey organisation
• has control over
• Questionnaire length
• Validation
• Routing
• Additional questionnaire information
• Personalisation of questionnaires

9
Outside of the control of the Survey Organisation

• The survey organisation does not have control
  over
• The visual display of web questionnaires
• Paper questionnaire completion

10
Summary

• When planning the design and functionality of
  paper and web questionnaires it is important that
  both the survey organisations perspective and
  the respondents perspective are considered
• A balance is important for controlling actual and
  perceived respondent burden, survey costs and
  data quality