Online Survey Software is considered the most affective and affordable method of survey.  Below are some of the goods and bads of each survey method according to our survey experts.  If you are looking for an online survey software tool to easily create, send and receive survey, we recommend http://www.freesurveytools.com/.

Most Widely Used Survey Methods:

1. Telephone
   1. response rate typically 25% - 50%[citation needed], depending on audience and topic
   2. fairly cost efficient, depending on local call charge structure
   3. good for large national (or international) sampling frames
   4. cannot be used for non-audio information (graphics, demonstrations, taste/smell samples)
   5. three types of telephone surveys

                                                             i.      traditional telephone interviews

                                                            ii.      computer assisted telephone dialing

                                                           iii.      computer assisted telephone interviewing

2. Mail
   1. response rate 5% - 30%[citation needed]
   2. the questionnaire may be handed to the respondents or mailed to them, but in all cases they are returned to the researcher via mail.
   3. cost is very low, since bulk postage is cheap in most countries
   4. long time delays, often several months, before the surveys are returned and statistical analysis can begin
   5. not suitable for very complex issues
   6. no interviewer bias introduced
   7. large amount of information can be obtained: some mail surveys are as long as 50 pages
   8. response rates can be improved by using mail panels
   9. members of the panel have agreed to participate
   10. panels can be used in longitudinal designs where the same respondents are surveyed several times
3. Online surveys software www.freesurveytools.com
   1. can use web or e-mail
   2. web is preferred over e-mail because interactive HTML forms can be used
   3. response rates sometimes 90% before 2000, but have been dropping fast since then (now 2% - 30%) often inexpensive to administer very fast results easy to modify
   4. response rates can be improved by using panels - members of the panel have agreed to participate
   5. if not password-protected, easy to manipulate by completing multiple times to skew results
   6. public published survey where anyone can take a survey via a link or an URL address can be very easy and effective way of collecting info.  However, it’s can be manipulated because anyone can the the survey and can be taken multiple times.
   7. Private survey is sent via email link and respondent has to be invited; respendent can only take once.
4. Personal in-home survey
   1. respondents are interviewed in person, in their homes (or at the front door)
   2. very high cost
   3. response rate 40% - 50%[citation needed]
   4. suitable when graphic representations, smells, or demonstrations are involved
   5. suitable for long surveys
   6. suitable for locations where telephone or mail are not developed
   7. Personal mall intercept survey
   8. shoppers at malls are intercepted - they are either interviewed on the spot, taken to a room and interviewed, or taken to a room and given a self-administered questionnaire
   9. response rate about 50%[citation needed]
   10. socially acceptable - people feel that a mall is a more appropriate place to do research than their home
   11. potential for interviewer bias
   12. fast
   13. easy to manipulate by completing multiple times to skew results

Methods used to increase response rates:

1. brevity - single page if possible
2. ethical – tell the respondent upfront what the survey is all about , the length of survey, etc.
3. financial incentives
4. non-monetary incentives
   1. commodity giveaways (pens, notepads)
   2. entry into a lottery, draw or contest
   3. discount coupons
   4. promise of contribution to charity
5. preliminary notification
6. foot-in-the-door techniques - start with a small inconsequential request
7. personalization of the request - address specific individuals
8. follow-up requests - multiple requests
9. claimed affiliation with universities, research institutions, or charities
10. emotional appeals
11. bids for sympathy

To begin using free online survey software, click here to start.