This document discusses the advantages and disadvantages of online surveys. The main advantages are increased response rates due to convenience, low costs, real-time access to results, flexibility in design, and anonymity. However, the main disadvantages are risks of survey fraud, limited sampling as not all populations have internet access, possible lower cooperation rates as surveys can easily be ignored, and lack of an interviewer to clarify questions.

1. Online Surveys
Advantages and Disadvantages

2. Advantages

3. Increased
Response Rate
The low cost and overall
convenience of online surveys bring
in a high response. Respondents
get to answer questions on their
own schedule at a pace they
choose.

4. Low Cost
Collecting data doesn't have to
break the bank anymore. There are
plenty of websites and platforms
that make creating your survey fast
and affordable.

5. Real-time
Access
Respondents' answers store
automatically so you get results at
your fingertips in no time. This turns
analyzing your results into
effortless and immediate action.

6. Convenience
Respondents answer questions on
their own schedule and can even
have flexibility with completion
time.
Rapid deployment and return times
are possible with online surveys
that don't use traditional methods.
And, if you have bad contact
information for some respondents,
you’ll know it almost immediately.

7. Design
Flexibility
Surveys can be programmed even if
they're very complex. Intricate skip
patterns and logic can be employed
seamlessly. You can create the
layout, questions, and answer
choices with no hassle.

8. No Interviewer
Since respondents are not
disclosing their answers directly to
another person, it is easier for them
to open up. Interviewers can also
influence responses in some cases.

9. Disadvantages

10. Survey Fraud
This is the biggest challenge. If your survey is
long and/or confusing you might get fake
answers. Since there is less accountability,
the chances for people just hitting buttons to
finish are high. Check the questions you use
carefully.
People often take surveys because they're
promised a reward at the end, resulting in
them not accurately contributing to your
study.

11. Limited
Sampling and
Respondent
Availability
Certain populations are less likely
to have internet access and to
respond to online questionnaires.
Drawing samples is harder based
on email addresses or website
visitations.

12. Possible
Cooperation
Problems
Online surveys could be deleted and
ignored. People hate feeling poked
and if they get annoyed, they just
have to click delete.

13. No Interviewer The lack of a trained interviewer to
clarify and probe can lead to less
reliable data.