Survey Participation:A Study of Student

Experiences and Response Tendencies

Allison M. Ohme, IR AnalystHeather Kelly Isaacs, Assistant Director

Dale W. Trusheim, Associate Director

Office of Institutional Research & PlanningUniversity of Delaware

June 1, 2005AIR 2005 ~ San Diego, CA

Background

University of Delaware Fall 2004 Enrollment

Undergraduate: 16,548 Graduate: 3,395 Professional & Continuing Studies: 1,295 TOTAL: 21,238

Doctoral/Research – Extensive

Background (cont.)High ability student body – has been increasing over the past 5 years.

AVERAGE SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST SCORESFOR NEW FRESHMEN

Fall 2000 Through Fall 2004

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

SAT Verbal Scores

Total 571 571 580 579 587National Avg. 505 506 504 507 508

SAT Math Scores

Total 583 588 598 598 602National Avg. 514 514 516 519 518

SAT Combined Scores

Total 1154 1159 1178 1177 1189National Avg. 1019 1020 1020 1026 1026

Source: Office of Admissions

Our Past Surveys

IR typically surveys undergraduates each spring.

Alternate between ACT Student Opinion, NSSE, or a homegrown survey.

Examples ofresponse rates:

Student Opinion 1995: 30% 1998: 26% 2002: 21%

Career Plans 1996: 46% 1999: 43% 2001: 37%

A Survey about Surveys???

Declining Response Rates…

Develop a systematic study to examine

these issues and their relation to poor response rates

Incentives?

Timing of administration?

Paper v. web survey?

Research Objectives

Then use this information to improve student response rates of future surveys.

How many survey requests typically

impact an undergraduate? What factors make

students likely to respond (or not

respond) to a survey?

Use focus groups and telephone interviews to discover:

Methodology – Survey Questions

(see Appendix A)

Thinking back to the previous full academic year (2002-2003), how many surveys from any sources were you asked to complete at the University? What was the source of the survey(s)?

How many surveys did you complete and return?

What were the reasons that helped you decide to complete and return the survey(s)?

Methodology – Survey Questions (cont.)

What were the reasons that made you decide not to complete and return a survey?

How do you feel when you receive an unsolicited survey? What kind of impact do they have on you?

What suggestions do you have for increasing student response rates at UD?

Methodology – Initial Research Design

Random sample of: Full-time undergraduate students Continuing from previous academic year

(2002-2003) Contact students via telephone and ask the

screening question:Have you received at least one unsolicited

survey from the University in the past academic year?

If “yes”, student was invited to participate in one of five focus groups (filling ten students/group).

Methodology – Initial Research Design (cont.)

If unable to attend a focus group, the student was given the opportunity to answer the same research questions as part of our telephone survey group.

Once 50 students answered the telephone survey, this portion of the methodology was closed.

Incentive: two drawings for $100 gift certificates to use in downtown Newark.

Methodology – Adjusting the Research Design

After only slight success in filling the focus groups:

Opened the study to students answering “no” to the screening question.

Drew additional sample of students who had been sent an Economic Impact Survey in Fall 2003.

Methodology – Need for an Additional Method

Low focus group attendance (even after confirmations with the participants) yielded 8 students over three groups.

Added third method: in-person interviews of students in the UD Student Center’s Food Court.

Students answered the same questions, and were given a $5 coupon redeemable in campus Food Courts.

Total Sample

Focus Group Sample (n=8)

Telephone Interview Sample (n=50)

In-Person Interview Sample (n=50)

See complete demographic breakdown in Appendix B.

Total Sample over 3 methods (n=108)

Findings In academic Year 2002-03:

26% of respondents did not receive any unsolicited surveys in 2002-03.

48% received 2 or more surveys. Survey sources:

Academic departments, Honors Program, Dining Services, graduate students, etc.

Findings – (cont.) How many surveys did students complete

and return? 66% of the 80 students who received surveys

completed/returned all surveys. 24% completed/returned some of the surveys. 10% did not complete/return any of the

surveys.

~ Remember these are the reported response rates of students who volunteered to participate in this study. It is no surprise that they are higher than typical survey response rates.

Findings – (cont.) Reasons for completing and returning

surveys: Desire to help UD. Survey related to students’ interest(s), or

results could affect their personal experience. Students completed both email and paper

surveys when they had “free time” and the survey required minimal effort.

When approached in-person, students find it difficult to refuse, especially when receiving an instant incentive.

Findings – (cont.)

T-Shirt

Schoolbooks & supplies

Free Meal

Candy

Desirable incentives:

Coupon to receive any of the above

Money

Any incentive students can accept immediately

Findings – (cont.) Reasons for not completing and returning surveys:

Survey not of interest to the student. Annoyed by receiving so many and/or multiple survey

requests. Survey seemed too complicated or required too much

time/effort to complete. Impact on Students?

Most students understand surveys are a normal procedure of any university or organization.

However, students are frustrated after not seeing any changes or receiving any follow-up after completing past surveys.

Findings – (cont.) Suggestions for increasing response rates:

Use incentives mentioned above. Tailor survey descriptions with explicit impact

statements. Offer follow-up to announce results and impact. Keep surveys short and requiring little effort to

understand and complete. Best time to survey = mid-semester.

~ Survey method preference (email, paper, in-person) varies by student.

Challenges in Practice Survey administration is decentralized

across campus. Using multiple methods (paper/web

based) for one study requires additional coordination.

Students already feeling “over-surveyed”.

High preponderance of SPAM in students’ UD inboxes.

Improving Response Rates Entering Student Needs

Assessment 2001= 21% 2003= 15% 2004 ACT Survey= 69%

69% response rate – How did we do it?

Another Example… Career Plans Survey

2002= 48% Random sample of 25% of baccalaureate

recipients 2003= 41%

Random sample of 50% of baccalaureate recipients

2004= 50% Sampled entire class of baccalaureate

recipients

Questions or Comments?

Thank you!

Allison M. Ohme aohme@udel.eduHeather Kelly Isaacs

hkelly@udel.eduDale W. Trusheim trusheim@udel.edu

www.udel.edu/IR