Mailed
Questionnaires
- Mailed questionnaires can canvas the most amount of people
for the littlest time involved.
- A national sample can be used and there is no extra time
involved in increasing the size of the sample.
- Mail, however, can be slow and relatively expensive for
large samples.
- You do not know who will be actually taking the questionnaire,
and whoever is can get outside advice, possibly compromising your
data.
- Anonymity can be assured.
- Because the respondent can preview the survey before taking
it, it must be shorter and more interesting.
- If the sample is interested in the topic, response rates
are similar to other methods.
- For the most part, there is a much lower response rate for
mailed questionnaires.
- Questions must be simple and the instructions must be clear
to avoid confusion and to ensure return.
- The questions should be well pre-tested before sending the
survey out so that major problems can be avoided.
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