How To Implement Online Surveying And A Comparison With Traditional Surveys

Abstract

This paper is divided into two parts.  The first part will discuss the techniques needed to implement a web-based survey.  Part two will present the results that the authors have obtained using web-based surveying verses the traditional return by mail/fax surveys.

A number of issues need to be addressed before a web-based survey can be implemented.  Those issues are: selection of an Internet Service Provider, selection of server software, selection of Web creation software, building the web site, creating the form, and linking the website to a database.

The authors have conducted five major surveys over the last three years.  The last three surveys have given the respondents the option of filling out the survey and mailing/faxing it back or responding online.  The results reveal a bias against the web.  We will discuss some of the reasons we believe this to be the case.