Online survey questionnaire in research is one of the most common sources of data collection, in which a set of survey questions are sent to a target sample and the members of that sample can respond to the questions via the world wide web.
Where respondents receive online surveys via various means such as email, embedded via the website, and social media.
Where organizations carry out online questionnaire survey to use the internet in order to gain insights and feedback about upcoming products or services, change marketing strategies, improve existing features, etc.
With the advancements made by the Internet, more and more organizations rely on the data received and analyzed from online questionnaire research method to make integrated changes in their performance.
For efficient data collection, organizations should choose an advanced and effective online survey platform.
Why use online survey questionnaire in research?
There are many reasons to choose an online survey questionnaire in research:
1- A faster way to reach the target audience:
Compared to other survey techniques such as pen and paper surveys, online questionnaire survey are very quick to get feedback from the respondents.
2- Real-time Analysis:
After collecting information, analysis is an important step for researchers to take immediate action. With an online survey questionnaire sample researchers can analyze the data collected in real time from a central dashboard.
3- Cost-effective:
Due to the minimal resources required, online questionnaire research method are much cheaper than other survey methods such as telephone surveys or paper surveys.
4- Minimal margin of error:
unlike traditional survey methods, respondents answer surveys directly, without intermediary intervention. The margin of error in the case of online survey questionnaire in research is thus very limited.
5- Easy to understand for the respondents:
online survey questionnaire in research is usually very easy to answer because they either come to the email inbox or social media and can be answered with a single click.
6- Save researchers time:
online questionnaire survey are quick to create and send, and because of the ease, they tend to save researchers time.
7- Respondents are more honest:
When an online survey questionnaire sample is conducted within a target audience, the researchers allow respondents to answer anonymously.
Due to the anonymity of online surveys, respondents usually portray a more sincere and honest demeanor in providing feedback.
8- Easy to manage:
By launching an online questionnaire research method, you make it easier for customers to participate.
9- Reach a wide range of clients:
Not surprisingly, online questionnaire survey give you access to a much larger range of respondents. Underrepresentation is a major challenge for marketers as it leads to inadequacy.
And one-sided results and consequently poor marketing decisions. Going online, you will be able to reach people from all over the world, regardless of their income, location, age, and job.
10- Anonymity leads to honesty:
You may not receive an honest answer over the phone or when interviewed in person. People tend to be more reserved and diplomatic when they express their opinion publicly in front of another human being.
Online survey questionnaire in research is on your side here, allowing you to receive the most open and honest feedback.
What type of online survey questionnaire in research?
There are many types of online questionnaire survey, which are as follows:
1- First: The electronic questionnaire program with open questions:
The participant is not bound by a particular answer to the question, he uses this type of question to gain more insight into how the respondent feels.
Open questions are useful because the respondent’s answer is not based on the researcher\’s assumptions. Instead, it\’s a personal answer each time. These questions take longer to parse but provide real feedback.
2- Second: the electronic questionnaire with ordinal scale questions: This type of question asks respondents to arrange a set of items or to choose from an ordered set.
This type of question is useful when you want to know each individual\’s level of importance. and make sure you specify your number scale (1 is the first option, 5 is the last option, etc.)
For example: when considering a job offer, please rank the importance of the following (please fill in your ranking order using the numbers 1-5 with 1 being the most important)
3- Third: The electronic questionnaire program with multiple choice questions: This type of question is often used to gather demographic information or to identify a set of problems. Multiple-choice questions can require a single answer or provide multiple choices of an answer.
Use it to group people based on what you already know. For example, if there are only five color options available and you\’re polling attendees on their favorites, just list those five options.
4- Fourth: the electronic questionnaire with a time range: This is the most frequently used type of question, on an interval scale. It is important that each option be equally spaced, whether it is a numeric band or a sentiment band.
Many of you have probably seen scales that ask about the strength of agreement, likelihood, or satisfaction (i.e. completely unsatisfied, dissatisfied, neutral, satisfied, very satisfied).
5- Fifthly, the electronic questionnaire with ratio scale questions:
This type of question asks respondents to respond in a quantifiable way. You\’ve probably seen percentage scale questions about income, age, or hours spent.
Ratio scale questions have a true zero and are often presented in an ordinal fashion with ranges. Moreover choosing the right question type is also an essential part of any survey design. Consider the type(s) of questions in your next survey in order to obtain important data.
How do you conduct an online research survey?
Here are the steps you need to follow to create an online survey questionnaire in research to help you gather the insights you need:
1- Determine the objectives of the survey. First, we must define the objectives of the survey i.e. For example, we can run a survey for:
- Determine the profitability of starting a business.
- Evaluate the feasibility of introducing a new product to the market.
- Find out the level of work environment within our company or organization.
2- Determine the required information
Once the objectives of the survey have been defined, it is necessary to define the information that we will collect, and this will be the information that allows us to achieve the objectives of the investigation.
For example: if we decide to learn how to create online surveys to assess the feasibility of launching a new product, it is necessary to collect information about consumers\’ tastes.
If we want to achieve customer satisfaction, we must know them in detail, and make them happy to achieve their loyalty to our brand.
3- Survey design
The online survey questionnaire sample consists of formulating appropriate questions that allow us to obtain the required information.
For example: if we need to know what are the consumers\’ preferences regarding a particular product.
The usual thing about a survey is that it allows us to obtain different types of information, so it is necessary to include different types of questions.
Find your surveys to be engaging and preferably not too long. Don’t forget to make it accessible to other online devices, such as cell phones or tablets.
A well-designed questionnaire will keep the respondent\’s attention, and willingness to cooperate. Without a doubt, defining our goals well contributes to creating unnecessary questions for investigation.
4- Determine the demographic segment to be studied
The next step in how we conduct the survey is to decide who we are going to online survey questionnaire sample, and who we are going to get the information we need.
For example, we may need to obtain information from our customers, consumers in general, our employees, and people who do not consume our product.
5- Determine the number of surveys to be conducted: use the formula to determine the sample size and find the representative number of the group of people you will study. In short, the sample formula is as follows: n = (Z²pqN) / (Ne² + Z²pq)
6- How to create online survey submissions: After designing the questionnaire, run a test survey to see if there are any errors or if some kind of change is needed, for example, without questions that are well formulated and clear.
You can send your survey by e-mail or offer promotions or incentives for participating in the survey. It depends on the campaign you want to run, but certainly, the rewards are always attractive to the respondents.
7- Calculate and analyze the results
With QuestionPro, you will have real-time results analysis, which saves time, money, and effort in relation to traditional surveys.
You can create your reports, for example with charts, or download and share them. Consider the importance of this information to make the right decision for your company.
8- Conclusions
Once the results are recorded and written down, we begin to analyze them, draw our conclusions from the investigation, and develop an action plan to make the right decision.
9- Decision making
Finally, the last step of how to conduct a survey is to make decisions according to the conclusions obtained.
How do I create an online survey questionnaire?
There are six distinct characteristics that should ideally define online survey questionnaire in research:
1- The purpose of the online survey: These are the most important characteristics of an online questionnaire survey. Only applicable scanning can produce shocking results. Researchers should define the goal of conducting an online questionnaire survey so that the measured results can be used to improve products/services, customer service, or some other predetermined goal.
2- Accurate Research Design: In order for the online survey questionnaire sample to carry effective results, it is important for the researcher to design a comprehensive research design. How to conduct market research and analysis using the online questionnaire research method – This can be determined by implementing the research design.
The research design will help market researchers decide how to collect information using online surveys and how to measure and analyze the data collected. The type of research design can be determined according to the research problem faced by the organization.
On discovering the research problem, the market researcher can decide among different types of research design: sectional, longitudinal, empirical, correlative, etc.
In case an organization wants to conduct an online questionnaire survey at a particular point in time, the researchers can rely on a cross-sectional research design.
And in situations where an organization would like to note a change in pattern from one particular time period to another, researchers can rely on a longitudinal research design.
3- Neatly structured survey questions: An effective survey should include a carefully structured balance of open and closed survey questions. There are different types of questions that can suffice for different purposes of an online survey questionnaire in research.
The questions added in the online questionnaire survey must be effective in obtaining the required information from the selected sample. Among the most frequently used survey questions are:
- Multiple choice questions.
- Dichotomous questions.
- Matrix questions.
- Likert scale questions.
A researcher will be able to gather effective information from an online questionnaire survey only when the purpose of the survey is justified by the type of survey questions.
For example, Likert scale questions can be used to find out the level of agreement of respondents with a particular statement, or matrix questions can be used.
Where there is a long list of similar questions and there is a possibility that respondents will drop a survey if these questions are not combined.
Researchers should understand the purpose of the online survey questionnaire in research to ensure that the survey questions are well structured for important details.
4- Clearly defined target sample: A sample is a representative section of target respondents who represent the characteristics required for the research and whose inputs can be generalized and applied to the entire target market.
After filtering a sample from the target population, the number of individuals who are part of the sample will be an indication of the sample size.
The sample can be formed on the basis of different aspects such as demographics, occupation, or any other factor according to the researcher\’s experience and knowledge. As the academic csn use twt types of samples:
- Probability Sampling: Probability theory is used to generate a sample using the probability sampling method. In this sampling method, every member of the target population has an equal chance of being part of a selected sample.
- Non-Probability Sampling: Non-probability sampling is a technique in which the sample is selected on the basis of the researcher\’s judgment, experience, and knowledge and not on random selection.
5- Collect and analyze respondent feedback: Including the right survey questions and sending the online questionnaire research method to the required sample can produce fruitful results only if the collected results are well analyzed for making informed decisions for the organization.
Online survey questionnaire sample software like QuestionPro, researchers can have analyzed data on a dashboard that keeps updating in real-time as respondents take the online survey.
The data presented on this dashboard is in the form of charts and graphs for easy statistical analysis of market research.
6- Transparent reporting of survey responses: Research reports generated using data obtained from online questionnaire survey should be shared with all stakeholders in the organizations.
So that every member is aware of the data collected from the surveys, and each respondent should understand that their input is being implemented by the organization.
This way, they will trust the organization, to be honest about providing feedback for improvement.
online survey advantages and disadvantages
The importance of an online survey questionnaire in research, is this type of survey, plays an important role in determining the opinions of survey samples in an easy way. So below, we will get to know the online survey advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages of online surveys
1- Fastest: The time required to complete an online survey questionnaire sample project are on average two-thirds shorter than those used in traditional search methods.
Because the information is collected automatically, the person does not have to wait for paper questionnaires to be returned to them, and the response time is almost instantaneous.
As in online questionnaire research method more than half of the responses were received within the first three days of the research project.
2- Cheaper: using an online questionnaire survey reduces a person\’s research costs, will save money on postage, and won’t have to devote time and resources to entering information into a database, responses are processed automatically and results can be accessed at any time.
3- More precisely: the margin of error is greatly reduced with online survey questionnaire sample because respondents enter their responses directly into the system.
As traditional methods depend on the attention of staff to enter all the details correctly. It is normal for human error to creep in whenever a person has to perform a repetitive task.
4- Quick to analyze: online survey questionnaire sample are ready for analysis at any time, and display results in real-time so you can act quickly.
5- Easy to use for the participants: the majority of people who have access to the internet prefer answering online questionnaire survey rather than using the telephone, with an online survey the participants can choose the moment that suits them best.
And the time required in order to complete the survey is much shorter. Questions that are not related to a specific participant can be automatically skipped using the skip range feature.
6- Easy to use for researchers: The main benefit of an online survey questionnaire in research is that they increase productivity by saving time. Data is immediately available and can be easily transferred into specialized statistical software or spreadsheets when more detailed analysis is required.
7- An online survey is an opportunity to imprint a brand in the user\’s mind: and remind them of the advantages it offers. An online survey questionnaire sample can be styled to match your business website with custom backgrounds, images, logos, fonts, the final re-direct page, and even the survey URL of the person.
Be sure to Their online questionnaire survey provider supports mobile rapid response surveys, allowing you to increase a person\’s reach while maintaining their brand across all platforms.
Disadvantages of online survey
1- Survey fraud:
This is the biggest challenge and if a person\’s questionnaire is too long or confusing you may get fake answers since there is less accountability the chances of people just pressing buttons to finish are high.
Check the questions you use carefully, often people take surveys because they are promised a reward at the end which results in them not accurately contributing to the survey.
2- Limited sampling and availability of respondents:
Certain populations are less likely to access the Internet and respond to the online questionnaire survey, and it is more difficult to draw samples based on email addresses or website visits.
3- Possible cooperation problems:
Online survey questionnaire in research can be deleted and ignored, people hate being poked and if they get annoyed, they just have to click delete.
What are survey questionnaire and their importance?
The online survey questionnaire in research is one of the most important scientific research, as the online questionnaire survey is used to collect data related to the research topic, so a form is prepared that includes a set of questions that the respondent must answer.
That is why the online survey questionnaire sample is mainly used in the field of studies that aim to explore facts about current practices, public opinion polls, and the tendencies of individuals.
And if the individuals about whom the researcher wants to obtain data are in distant places, the questionnaire tool enables him to reach all of them in a limited time and at reasonable costs.
It is noted that the questionnaire tool is widespread in innovative and applied studies, for reasons including:
- It is the best way to get new information and facts that are not provided by other sources.
- It is characterized by ease and speed in its distribution by mail over a wide geographical area.
- It saves time and costs.
- It gives the respondent the freedom to give any information he wants.
Related Questions
What is an example of an online survey and questionnaire tool?
There are many survey creation tools that help you prepare and design a survey template with high accuracy, and the following are examples of these tools:
1- Zoho Survey
Zoho Survey is an example of an online survey questionnaire and feedback-gathering tool designed to help companies create powerful surveys that enable them to gain useful insights from their customers.
Its intuitive interface makes it easy for users to create, submit, manage, and analyze survey results in real-time.
2- Survey Monkey
Survey Monkey It is an apparent example of online survey questionnaire this tool has comprehensive reporting features, so you can quickly and easily analyze data from your poll or survey.
3- TYPEFORM
TYPEFORM is an example of online survey questionnaire tool it\’s an easy-to-use online form builder that renders It offers advanced features like custom branding and response validation so you can ensure the data you collect is accurate.
In conclusion,
online survey questionnaire in research is the least expensive and most effective in terms of use compared to other survey methods.
So many researchers tend to use the online questionnaire survey in the work of marketing statistics, so we clarified the most important points related to this field, including the online survey advantages and disadvantages.
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