Response Bias in a Mail Survey: An Example from a Land Use Study

Extract

Researchers are well aware that each technique for administering surveys has its own advantages and disadvantages. Direct interviews, either by telephone or in person, have a relatively high cost per contact but usually result in a higher percentage of questionnaire completions and greater control of the response quality. Mail surveys can be conducted at a lower per unit cost but are often characterized by lower response rates and an overall poorer quality of completed questionnaires. Even with follow-up mailings, recent studies at the University of Maine suggest that response rates of 35 to 45 percent can be expected on general land use surveys or recreation studies.