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Effective Survey Development Strategies for Maximum Responses

Learn how to develop surveys effectively to gather valuable data. Understand how to format questions, engage respondents, and increase response rates. Get insights on structuring surveys and maximizing participation using various techniques.

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Effective Survey Development Strategies for Maximum Responses

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  1. Developing Surveys John C. Ory Chris Migotsky Center for Teaching Excellence 249 Armory 3-3370 ory@uiuc.edu

  2. Know your…. Topic Respondents Costs Time Purpose

  3. Survey Examples Annual Campus Senior Survey Proposed General Education Survey

  4. From 40 Suggestions ….. About questions • “Is this question worth asking?” • Keep items short as possible • Avoid double-barreled wording Rate the quality and value of the capstone course • Focus response choices “Rate the quality of …” Use P-F-G-VG-EX rather than “The capstone was excellent.” SD-D-A-SA

  5. • Balance your scales m m m m m Poor Fair Good VG Excellent • Decide on number of scale points 4 or 5 or 6? • Should you use “Neutral category” or “Don’t know” • Place positive responses to right Poor=1, Fair=2, etc…

  6. About survey • Make the questionnaire “eye-appealing” professional with plenty of white space • Group items into logically coherent sections • Avoid putting important items at the end • Do you need demographics?

  7. GETTING RESPONSES Phase I: Getting their attention • If your survey arrives in style, it may not get tossed in trash • If your survey appears seductive, the respondent may be attracted • If your survey appeals to a basic value,, it may get read. • If your survey arrives at the right time, it has a chance of being completed

  8. Phase II: Keeping their attention • If the students know what it is for and why it is important, they may want to respond • If you give them something for their effort, they may expend the effort to respond • If it is easy to complete, it might get completed • If you ask questions that “grab” students, you might get responses

  9. Phase III: Getting their feedback • If you keep it confidential, they may feel “safe” to respond • If you make it easy to return, you might get it back • If you follow-up, you even can get a better return rate

  10. E-mails and Cover Letters • Date letter or e-mail of the day it actually goes out • Use letterhead when possible • Personalize salutation • Explain purpose • Describe who is sponsoring • Provide name and phone for further info • Consider sending advance e-mail or letter • Consider other methods to publicize survey

  11. Explain how respondents were chosen • Explain how and when to return survey • Describe incentives • Provide a realistic time required to complete survey • Explain how the confidentiality of the respondent and data will be protected • Identify deadline for returning

  12. How to get 75% Return 4 mailings 2 weeks apart = 40+20+10+5 Send complete package on 1st and 3rd mailings (cover letter, questionnaire, envelope with stamp) Send reminder cards on 2nd and 4th mailings E-mails or Cover letters are different: 1st thorough content 2nd gentle and friendly reminder 3rd emphasize confidentiality and stress importance 4th set a final deadline

  13. A handy campus tool for developing electronic surveys - Public Affairs’ Web Services Toolbox Presented by Chris Migotsky

  14. Web Surveys in the Toolboxhttp://www.webservices.uiuc.edu Info

  15. Main Toolbox Page

  16. Let’s Create a Survey! Web Services Toolbox http://www.webservices.uiuc.edu/ Other web survey tools • Survey Monkey • Snap Surveys • Zoomerang

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