1. 10.45- 1.00 Online questionnaires Jane and Clare 2

2. Programme 10:00 - 10:40 Introduction 10:45 - 1.00 Online questionnaires 1.00 - 1.45 Lunch 1.45 - 3.00 Online Interviews 3:00 - 3.10 Tea break 3.10 - 3.45 Ethics and online research 3.45 - 4.00 Any questions, evaluation, online futures, future directions etc

3. Structure Set up computer account Types of online questionnaires When to use an online questionnaire Advantages of online questionnaires Disadvantages of online questionnaires Sampling issues Break Design issues overview Activity: timing of questions Implementation overview Activity: Developing an online questionnaire

4. 1. Activity: Register for an account Go to www.surveys.com and register for an account.www.surveys.com You will have to provide them with some background details. Remember to check the relevant box to say you don’t want loads of spam. 2

5. 2. Types of online questionnaires Web-based questionnaire questionnaire designed as a web-page and hosted on web-site E-mail questionnaire questions are submitted as part of the email itself Questionnaire attached to an email questionnaire is sent as an attachment to an email e.g. as a word document

6. 3. When to use an online questionnaire? Internet offers great methodological potential and versatility Resulted in proliferation in online questionnaires But use of online questionnaire must be appropriate and justified for each particular research project –e.g. to address aims of research, selection of most relevant questionnaire type and question format for addressing aims, establishing a justified sampling strategy to recruit relevant respondents and ensure appropriate response rate

7. 4. Advantages of online questionnaires Speed and volume of data collection Savings in costs Flexible design Data accuracy Access to research populations Anonymity Respondent acceptability

8. 5. Disadvantages of online questionnaires Sample bias Measurement error Non-response bias Length, response and drop out rates Technical problems Ethical issues

9. 6. Sampling issues Recruitment Sampling Identity verification Incentives Response rates

10. In conclusion… The quantity of information that may be generated, and the speed at which responses can be collected, can result in pleasing piles of data- but we should be wary of being seduced by sheer quantity; data is only useful if it is representative of the larger population. Wakeford (2000, 33)‏

11. 7. Design issues Usability Accessibility Doability Will your questionnaire be easy to use? Or will the interface, colours and question types frustrate people and put them off? Will your questionnaire be accessible? Or will it crash on old computers, render weirdly on different operating systems and be impossible to use with a screen reader? Will your questionnaire be doable? Or are your multi-media dreams running ahead of your technical ability and are your data arriving in an unusable format?

12. Exploring online research methods links Questionnaires module Design issues 1: Appearance http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/questionnaires/quesdesign1.htm http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/questionnaires/quesdesign1.htm Design issues 2: Content http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/questionnaires/quesdesign2.htm http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/questionnaires/quesdesign2.htm Technical guide module Web forms http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/technical/techforms.htm http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/technical/techforms.htm Key design issues http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/technical/techdesign.htm http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/technical/techdesign.htm

13. 8. Optional activity: exploring question formats Complete the following questionnaire as quickly as you can http://wads.le.ac.uk//gg/orm/timingform.htm Consider how the different question formats influence the ease of response, and quality of data collected.

14. 9. Online Survey Implementation Overview Wide range of options available for developing online questionnaires. Most claim to be WYSIWYG and to require no technical knowledge. (This is never true!)‏ Before deciding on what to use: –Do some research –Speak to your technical support –Run a pilot

15. Implementation Options Technical support: Get someone else to do it for you. Questionnaire tools –Commercial (SurveyMonkey)‏SurveyMonkey – Public/freeware (BOS)‏BOS –Institutional (Plone, bespoke systems)‏Plone Hand crafting –Building a questionnaire using your technical skills and the software and hardware resources available. –Typically using HTML, JavaScript, ASP, Flash etc. See our Technical Guide for further advice www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/technical/techsoftware1.htm www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/technical/techsoftware1.htm

16. Using an online tool Bristol Online Survey (BOS) www.survey.bris.ac.ukwww.survey.bris.ac.uk Developed by the Institute for Research and Learning Technology at the University of Bristol. Enables researchers to develop, deploy, and analyse surveys via the Web. Used by approximately 80 universities and other public bodies and companies. http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/support/faq/accounts/which-other- universities-and-organisations-are-using-bos http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/support/faq/accounts/which-other- universities-and-organisations-are-using-bos

17. 10. Activity: Developing an online questionnaire In pairs. You are researchers who are interested in exploring the ways in which parents use online parenting websites for advice and information. You have decided to use an online questionnaire to administer a survey and have secured cooperation from the main parenting websites to help you access participants. Spend 10 minutes thinking about the types of questions that you would want to ask to address this issue. 10

18. Activity: Using the Bristol Online Survey Tool In pairs. Login to BOS (www.survey.bris.ac.uk) using the username and password you have been provided with.www.survey.bris.ac.uk Use the Parents survey as a template and edit the questions in order to start to develop your survey. Try to use some different question formats. 30