1. A STRUCTURAL APPROACH FOR
ONLINE SURVEYS
A research presentation by Knut Linke, University of Latvia, at the
International Conference:
NEW CHALLENGES OF ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
MAY 10 – 12, 2012
RIGA, LATVIA
3. research approach
Current Environment:
In the current time the Internet, as communication channel, is
responsible to gather more and more information. Empirical
research is preceded on this channel to act fast and cost
effective.
Research Purpose:
The research had as purpose to understand issues during the
preceding of online surveys to avoid those issues during the
online survey for the doctoral thesis and increase the quality of
the survey in the dimensions of results, participation and
reception.
4. prestudies for the survey
Workshop with 12 students in the age range between 19
and 40 years regarding the topics:
When do you share information in the Internet?
When do you provide valid data or invalid data in the Internet?
Followed by a deep interview with a Social Media expert
and Internet politican.
Focus on actual topics from the net and from the political sector
5. prestudies findings
Findings Workshop:
It must be distinguished in which situation personal information
is share with another person or website.
It must be clear under which and for which reasons and goals I
share the information and with whom I share the information.
It must be communicated how serious the environment in which
I share information is and to which institution or person I share
the information.
The participant must understand what the added value from the
participation is. It should be clear, what the participant gets out
from the interaction.
The participant must be aware that information are directly
provided by the usage from the Internet itself, such as forums or
search engines.
6. prestudies findings
Findings Interview:
A relationship should be established with the
person/organization to which I send information, with the
target to increase a higher efficiency in the response.
Does the participant understand the goals from the requesting
of information and does the person agree on the usage.
In this context it must be clear who is working with the
information, after the information is send.
It should be communicated how the participant can influence or
change the information which were provided and it should be
understandable what will be done with the information and
how the result will influence the participants life.
The security features and functions, which support the data
transfer, must be understandable for the participant.
7. questionaire
Basic demographic data
The survey itself was planned with a focus on younger people
Four sections:
Providing of personal information (A1 – A5)
Answering honest in the Internet (B1 – B8)
Factors which makes a suvery serious (C1 – C5)
Influence factors in responsing behavior (D1 – D4)
Usage of a 7-Likert-Scale
1 = I do not agree up to 7 = I agree
8. the survey itself
Was answered manually by 65 people out of the target
group from the later research for the doctoral thesis
preceded in December 2011
24 women and 41 men
average age of 23 years (median: 21, mode: 21)
age range between 18 and 54 years
Most people were not able to determine their Internet start date
9. All of the questions were answered in a 20%-80%
distribution above the Likert-7-scale. No answers has a
result were >80% from the participants answered similar
on the scale and none of the answers has a median were
<20% selected the answer.
Results were discussed in addition with two Internet
business experts to validate the results
The interviews displayed the recognition from the findings and
provided valuable and additional information.
11. results A1 – A5
35
30
25
Amount
20
15
10
5
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A1 25 17 6 4 6 3 2
A2 2 5 1 7 11 20 18
A3 2 4 6 6 14 20 12
A4 3 1 1 5 4 14 36
A5 0 10 5 12 11 19 7
Standard deviation
Median Mode Standard deviation (sample)
A1 You want to test the service: 2 1 1.73 1.72
A2 Use the service for a longer period of time: 6 6 1.65 1.63
A3 Friends or acquaintance have sign up: 6 6 1.62 1.61
A4 You want to use a service for business purpose: 7 7 1.59 1.58
A5 You want to use a service for private purpose: 5 6 1.61 1.60
12. results B1 – B4
35
30
25
Amount
20
15
10
5
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
B1 4 7 7 11 15 15 5
B2 2 3 4 10 19 13 13
B3 3 5 5 14 17 12 8
B4 11 16 10 12 11 3 1
Standard Standard deviation
Median Mode deviation (sample)
B1 You are expecting an added value from the participation: 5 6 1.69 1.68
B2 You are expecting an added value from your participation, 5 5 1.54 1.53
like a change from the current situation (i.e. in politics):
B3 The survey is related to myself: 5 5 1.61 1.59
B4 The survey is in combination with a raffle: 3 2 1.58 1.57
13. results B5 – B8
35
30
25
Amount
20
15
10
5
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
B5 2 2 1 9 9 19 22
B6 4 5 6 11 15 18 5
B7 3 0 4 8 11 28 10
B8 6 7 6 23 16 4 2
Standard Standard deviation
Median Mode deviation (sample)
B5 You are in a relationship with the person how is requesting 6 7 1.53 1.52
information from you:
B6 The Internet form is secured with a codification like HTTPS: 5 6 1.65 1.64
B7 The questioner is serious. 6 6 1.46 1.45
B8 You have to fill out an empty attribute: 4 4 1.47 1.46
15. results D1 – D4
35
30
25
Amount
20
15
10
5
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
D1 8 6 8 11 10 17 4
D2 6 5 11 10 15 12 5
D3 3 2 5 8 22 16 8
D4 7 8 8 16 11 10 4
Standard Standard deviation
Median Mode deviation (sample)
D1 You can win a price: 4 6 1.85 1.84
D2 The answers can be get connected to you: 5 5 1.73 1.72
D3 You are in a relation with the institution which sets up 5 5 1.50 1.49
the survey:
D4 An ID or PIN is displayed on the address from the survey: 4 4 1.74 1.72
16. research findings
1. Trust must be established, which can be supported with the design
(non-commercial) from the survey, as also from the way of
communication from the questions and descriptions.
2. The target and goal of the questionnaire must be understandable
for the participants.
3. The participant should be receiving possible information after the
participation and the provider of the survey should be
communicated and it should be understandable which targets the
provider has.
4. To support the data protection the user should have the possibility
to erase his data after the participation. Also it should be possible to
change possible answers afterwards.
5. It should be possible for a person to receive additional information
about the scientific work, also after the participation.
17. research findings
6. Free text field, where participants can insert individual response,
should be avoided.
This barrier can be a reason for a participant to insert invalid or wrong
information, closed questions should be preferred.
7. The user should be informed, if private or business related
information are requested.
8. It should be avoided that the participant has the feeling that s/he
can test the survey. A question “Did you filled out the questionnaire
honest? If not, if you only tested it, please click here” can help.
9. A participant should have the possibility to share the survey with his
friends or associates, if this create an added value for the research
and to establish an additional relationship with the survey.
18. summary
Strong dependencies and influences factors could be
deterimend
Participants needs:
support during the participation process
A clear and transparent communication
The ability to avoid work, to support the process and to
establish a relationship afterwards
Future usage will be possible in combination with
additional „research“
19. future usage
Usage of the information to shape the final survey in the sector of:
Communication
Technical Providing
Application Development
Current reserach level - Prototype development:
6 groups of 2-4 Bachelor students are developing different prototypes
until the mid of June based on results of the survey
Best practices will be used for the final survey.
Examples ☺
