A Quantitative Review of Research Design Effects on Response Rates to Questionnaires

Abstract

A comprehensive literature review of techniques used to increase response rates to questionnaires was conducted. Conclusions were based on arithmetic combination of 497 response rates found in 93 journal articles. Response rates were found to be increased by personal and telephone (versus mail) surveys, either prepaid or promised incentives, nonmonetary premiums and rewards, and increasing amounts of monetary reward. Other facilitators that increased responding were preliminary notification, foot-in-the-door techniques, personalization, and followup letters. Several facilitators were found to be ineffective. An estimated magnitude of effect was calculated for each design variation.