Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Believe it or not! longer questionnaires have lower response rates

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Business and Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effects of questionnaire length on response rate and response bias were examined by conducting a mail survey of 8534 persons taking “distance education” courses in insurance and financial planning. In 14 replications, persons were randomly assigned to receive a long or short course evaluation questionnaire. Response rate for the short form averaged about 28% higher than for the long form, and was significantly higher in all 14 replications. A measure of course satisfaction appearing on both questionnaires showed no significant differences between the long and short form in 12 of the 14 replications. The results suggested that biased measurement of consumer satisfaction does not necessarily occur on a long questionnaire with a relatively low response rate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams, L. and Gale, D. (1982). Solving the quandary between questionnaire length and response rate in educational research.Research in Higher Education, 17, 231–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumgartner, R.M. & Heberlein, T.A. (1984). Recent research on mailed questionnaire response rates. In D.C. Lockhart (Ed.),Making effective use of mailed questionnaires (pp 65–75). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Denton, J. J. Tsai, C. Y. and Chevrette, P. (1988). Effects on survey responses of subjects, incentives and multiple mailings.Journal of Experimental Education, 56, 77–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eichner, K. & Habermehl, W. (1981). Predicting response rates to mailed questionnaires (comments on Heberlein and Baumgartner).American Sociological Review, 46, 361–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erdos, P.L. (1974). “Data collection methods: mail surveys”. In R. Ferber (Ed.),Handbook of marketing research (pp. 2–90, 101–104). NY: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glenn, N.D. (1983). Replications, significance tests and confidence in survey research.Public Opinion Quarterly, 47, 261–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goyder, J.C. (1982). Further evidence on factors affecting response rates to mailed questionnaires.American Sociological Review, 47, 550–553.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heberlein, T.A. and Baumgartner, R. (1978). Factors affecting response rates to mailed questionnaires: A quantitative analysis of the published literature.American Sociological Review, 43, 447–462.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herzog, A. R. & Bachman, J.G. (1981). Effects of questionnaire length on response quality.Public Opinion Quarterly, 45, 549–559.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston, M.J. & Ford, N.M. (1976). Broadening the scope of methodological research on mail surveys.Journal of Marketing Research, 13, 397–403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchison, J., Tollefson, N. and Wigington, H. (1987). Response bias in college freshmen's response to mail surveys.Research in Higher Education, 26, 99–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanuk, L. & Berenson, C. (1975). Mail surveys and response rates: A literature review.Journal of Marketing Research, 12, 440–453.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linsky, A.S. (1975). Stimulating responses to mailed questionnaires: A review.Public Opinion Quarterly, 39, 82–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundsten, L.L. (1986). Student evaluation in a business administration curriculum.Developments in Marketing Science, Vol. IX (pp. 77–87). Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Conference of the Academy of Marketing Science. Anaheim, California, April 30–May 3, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powers, D.E. and Alderman D.L. (1982). Feedback as an incentive for responding to a mail questionnaire.Research in Higher Education, 17, 207–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray, J. J. & Still, L. V. (1986). Maximizing the response rate in a survey may be a mistake.Personality & Individual Differences, 8, 571–573.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sudman, S. (1985). Mail surveys of reluctant professionals.Evaluation Review, 9, 349–360.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sudman, S. & Bradburn, N. (1984). Improving mailed questionnaire design. In D.C. Lock-hart (Ed.),Making effective use of mailed questionnaires (pp. 33–47). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu, J. & Cooper, H. (1983). A quantitative review of research design effects on response rates to questionnaires.Journal of Marketing Research, 20, 36–44.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. American College, USA

    Michael J. Roszkowski

  2. La Salle University, USA

    Andrew G. Bean

Authors
  1. Michael J. Roszkowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrew G. Bean
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Roszkowski, M.J., Bean, A.G. Believe it or not! longer questionnaires have lower response rates. J Bus Psychol 4, 495–509 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01013611

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01013611

Keywords

Search

Navigation