Online Survey: Definition, Advantages & Disadvantages

In empirical research, surveying is unquestionably the most commonly used method for data collection. Indisputably, there is simultaneously no other data collection procedure that has so many different design options. Just twenty years ago, written, personal or telephone surveys dominated scientific practice.

With the increasing digitalization of recent decades, however, the importance of written and telephone survey methods has declined. Rising costs when sending mail surveys, high organizational effort in finding participants and a large return and error rate make such surveys unattractive for many researchers.

Meanwhile, most studies use a practical and contemporary alternative that is significantly more time and cost-efficient compared to other survey methods: With the help of online surveys, it has never been easier to create, conduct and evaluate an empirical study.

General Definition of an Online Survey

An online survey is an internet-based form of the classic standardized or quantitative questionnaire survey. Basically, the goal of a quantitative survey is to generate as much data as possible based on the completed questions of the participants in order to answer the research question defined in advance as accurately as possible.

 

Advantages of an Online Survey

Overall, surveying in empirical research is often considered the only meaningful method to determine the opinions and values of people. An online survey, which is usually sent via a link and can then be answered directly on the smartphone or computer, has some advantages over the classic survey types:

• Maximum cost and time efficiency is achieved because the survey only needs to be created once and can be filled out by participants at any time.
• While other surveys need to be digitized and cleaned in a program like SPSS for data evaluation, the results of an online survey are already available in digital data form. Faulty and incomplete questionnaires are automatically eliminated.
• Anonymity of participants is better guaranteed because the respondents enter their data themselves and, due to the GDPR law, have better control over data protection obtain.
• Because respondents do not have to interact directly with researchers "face-to-face", they usually answer more honestly even on uncomfortable topics.

 

Disadvantages of an Online Survey

In addition to the many advantages, of course, one must also consider the negative aspects of an online survey. Only if one is aware of these can one interpret the results correctly. The disadvantages of online surveys include:

• The participants answer the questions without the presence of the researcher. Possible follow-up questions or problems when filling out the questionnaire cannot therefore be clarified.
• The proper completion of the questions cannot be ensured (e.g. by supervision).
• An internet connection and a device (smartphone, PC, etc.) are essential to participate in the survey. This may exclude certain target groups.