Compare and contrast paper and online administration of surveys. Give an example of a research topic that would be best done via online and one that would be best done via paper administration.
What will be an ideal response?
Ans: There are a number of ways to conduct research: paper, online, and even phone. Given the proliferation of cell phones and unlisted numbers, the first two are more popular. Given the advantages and disadvantages of each, it is unlikely that paper administration will go away completely. First, there are a number of advantages to online administration: It is portable (people do not have to be in the classroom to complete the survey), and it is convenient (participants can answer questions in their pajamas in their dorm rooms if they so choose). Since most online programs allow researchers to download answers straight into SPSS, most data input errors are eliminated. Another advantage is the privacy of the medium, so if the research involves a sensitive topic like sexual behavior, online might be the way to go. However, there are disadvantages to online administration which translate into advantages of the paper administration, or old-fashioned, way. First, there are some research topics that require paper administration. For example, if you want to compare the effectiveness of video versus PowerPoint versus lecture presentation on the retention of information, you have to be in the classroom giving the information and then testing retention. Second, it is difficult to control the circumstances under which participants take an online survey, and that control is needed in some cases. Finally, as far as the data input is concerned, there are advantages to entering the data by hand (believe it or not). When you enter the data by hand, you get a “feel” for participants’ answers and are more likely to catch patterns of responses. There is also the issue of questions: If participants have any questions, the researcher is not immediately available to answer, and participants will most likely either stop answering, skip a question, or just answer any old thing. Since we want the best answers possible, these issues are very important in considering which administration type to use.
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