Reducing Error in Mail Surveys

Surveys allow information to be collected from a sample group and generalized to the population at large. Because they are low cost and easy to implement, mail surveys are used more frequently for social research than either telephone or face-to-face interviews. Those conducting surveys should recognize four potential sources of error -- sampling error, noncoverage error, non-response error, and measurement error -- and take steps to minimize their impact. Any one of these sources of error may make the survey results unacceptable (Groves, 1989; Salant and Dillman, 1994; Dillman, 1991, 1999). This article describes the four types of errors and summarizes ways they can be reduced. Accessed 65,275 times on https://pareonline.net from September 02, 2003 to December 31, 2019. For downloads from January 1, 2020 forward, please click on the PlumX Metrics link to the right.