Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method -- 2007 Update with New Internet, Visual, and Mixed-Mode Guide [Hardcover]

Don A. Dillman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 18, 2006 | ISBN-10: 047003856X | ISBN-13: 978-0470038567 | Edition: 2

A crucial resource for increasing response rates and obtaining high-quality feedback from mail, electronic, and other surveys

Don Dillman's Mail and Internet Surveys, Second Edition has been the definitive guide for creating and conducting successful surveys using both traditional and new media channels. Now, this special 2007 Update of the classic text features major additions covering the latest developments in online survey design and administration.

Like its predecessor, this resource lays out a complete, start-to-finish guide for determining the needs of a given survey, designing it, and effectively administering it. Drawing on social science, statistics, and proven best practices, Dillman's text discusses surveys for a variety of purposes, audiences, and situations.

New and updated material covers both the principles behind and directions for how to:

• Conduct Web surveys
• Visually design questionnaires
• Use paper mailed surveys

As insightful and practical as its classic original, Mail and Internet Surveys, Second Edition, 2007 Update is a crucial resource for any researcher seeking to increase response rates and obtain high-quality feedback from mail, electronic, and other self-administered surveys.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A crucial resource for increasing response rates and obtaining high-quality feedback from mail, electronic, and other surveys

Don Dillman's Mail and Internet Surveys, Second Edition has been the definitive guide for creating and conducting successful surveys using both traditional and new media channels. Now, this special 2007 Update of the classic text features major additions covering the latest developments in online survey design and administration.

Like its predecessor, this resource lays out a complete, start-to-finish guide for determining the needs of a given survey, designing it, and effectively administering it. Drawing on social science, statistics, and proven best practices, Dillman's text discusses surveys for a variety of purposes, audiences, and situations.

New and updated material covers both the principles behind and directions for how to:

• Conduct Web surveys
• Visually design questionnaires
• Use paper mailed surveys

As insightful and practical as its classic original, Mail and Internet Surveys, Second Edition, 2007 Update is a crucial resource for any researcher seeking to increase response rates and obtain high-quality feedback from mail, electronic, and other self-administered surveys.

About the Author

DON A. DILLMAN is well-known and highly regarded in the survey field. He is Regents Professor and Thomas S. Foley Distinguished Professor of Government and Public Policy, on the faculty of the Social and Economic Sciences Research Center, and in the Department of Sociology at Washington State University. He received the Roger Herriot Award for Innovation in Federal Statistics from the American Statistical Association and the Washington Statistical Society in 2000. In 2004, he received the American Association for Public Opinion Research Award for exceptionally distinguished service to the profession.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (August 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047003856X
• ISBN-13: 978-0470038567
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #859,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference, June 20, 2007

By 

Larry Handlin "ArchPundit" (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method -- 2007 Update with New Internet, Visual, and Mixed-Mode Guide (Hardcover)

Overall there appears to be some confusion over the purpose of the book, but if you are trying to improve responses and design of the actual instrument, this book is excellent. If you need help figuring out sampling and the such, you aren't ready for the book.

There are many people who do still use paper surveys and even mail them and given it's in the title, it's a bit surprising reviewers found this absurd.

Perhaps more absurd are the complaints relating to how unscientific the work is. Dillman has published a great deal in the scientific literature on how to improve the quality of the data through better visual design. That is not saying he does not understand the importance of sampling. It does indicate the book he is going to write is going to assume you have very basic understanding of survey methodology and you are looking to improve the usability of a survey with the assumption in mind.

Dillman's research provides excellent guidelines for creating visual surveys that are likely to improve the accuracy and reliability of the responses. If that's what you are looking for, it's the best book on the subject and is grounded in the literature.

If you need a book on sampling, come back to this book later.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic survey methods text, July 6, 2007

By 

R. Brower "doc student" (Montgomery , AL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method -- 2007 Update with New Internet, Visual, and Mixed-Mode Guide (Hardcover)

For anyone who conducts online surveys, especially academic researchers, this is an essential text. Dillman's text is far superior to The Survey Kit by Arlene Fink. The only criticism I would offer is that Dillman assumes researchers are designing their own online surveys rather than using commercially available websites such as Survey Monkey. I would contend that the majority of survey research is conducted on commercial websites. Although these websites are changing rapidly, I would like Dillman to address this subject as well.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great update, June 8, 2007

By 

grad student "grad student" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method -- 2007 Update with New Internet, Visual, and Mixed-Mode Guide (Hardcover)

The 2007 version is a great update and had a lot of useful information for anyone conducting survey research. The update includes internet and mixed mode information that is relevant to the resources being used today.

A straight read with good illustrations of main points.