The adequacy of response rates to online and paper surveys: what can be done?

Abstract

This article is about differences between, and the adequacy of, response rates to on line and paper-based course and teaching evaluation surveys. Its aim is to provide practical guidance on these matters.

The first part of the article gives an overview of on-line surveying in general, a review of data relating to survey response rates and, practical advice to help boost response rates. The second part of the article discusses when a response rate may be considered big enough for the survey data to provide adequate evidence for accountability and improvement purposes. The article ends with suggestions for improving the effectiveness of evaluation strategy. These suggestions are: to seek to obtain the highest response rates possible to all surveys; to take account of probable effects of survey design and methods on the feedback obtained when interpreting that feedback; and, to enhance this action by making use of data derived from multiple methods of gathering feedback.