How do you reduce sampling bias and question response errors and obtain good response rates from a mail survey? Aimed at improving the quality of mail survey data collection, Mail Surveys answers these questions and more while also offering insights and tips into conducting mail surveys. Areas such as problems to avoid when using mail surveys, what types of rating scales to use, whether to select open-ended versus close-ended questions, screening questions and skipping instructions, questions and response order effects, sampling strategies, and ways to reduce nonresponse errors from prenotification to incentives are explored throughout the text. Through the use of clear exposition and interesting examples, Thomas W. Mangione carefully delineates those situations that are most appropriate for a mail survey.

Students and researchers who want to improve the writing of mail survey questions as well as mail survey design will find this volume essential.

Accuracy, reliability, verifiable and error-free results - these are the goals that anyone involved in survey interviewing desires. A practical guide to producing standardized - and reliable - interviews, this volume represents a blending of social science theories of interviewing dynamics, the authors' own extensive research on interview-related error and a compilation of research evidence from other prominent methodologists.

How to avoid errors, sampling design issues, question construction methods, supervision techniques, training methods and the organization of data collection staffs are all thoroughly examined. In addition, prescriptions for improving the quality of survey data results are clear and concise. Both students learning survey research methods for the first time and experienced, active researchers will find this volume indispensable.