Mailed questionnaire survey
Also called: Mail survey, Postal survey · Topic: Economic Data: Census, NSS, Surveys and Statistical Tools · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "Collection of Data"; Class 11, Ch 8 "Use of Statistical Tools"
Meaning
In a mailed questionnaire survey, the questionnaire is sent by post and the respondent fills it in and returns it by a set date. It is the least expensive survey mode. It reaches remote areas, and no interviewer is present to influence the answers. It also keeps the respondent anonymous, so it suits sensitive questions. Its weaknesses are a low response rate, a long wait for replies, no chance to clear doubts, and no way to see the respondent's reactions. It cannot be used with people who cannot read.
Example
A researcher mails a questionnaire on household debt to 500 families across remote villages. Only some families return it. Families who cannot read cannot take part at all, so the returned forms may not represent the villages.
Don't confuse with
- Personal interview: this gets the highest response and lets the interviewer clear doubts. But it is the most expensive and slowest mode, and the interviewer may influence answers.
Related concepts
- Primary data
- Secondary data
- Survey
- Variable
- Observation
- Questionnaire
- Enumerator
- Informant
- Closed-ended question
- Open-ended question