1. Ibrahim L. Mukattash

2.  The use and application of papers based
survey among practitioners and academics
have been used for a long time
 The purpose behind any survey is to collect
measurable data from a specific group of
people.

3.  Response Rate
The success of a survey will be the response
rate (how many people actually respond to
your survey).
 Cost of producing and administering
Survey researches have to function within the
constraints of budgets and consider which
survey mode will meet the needs of the study

4.  Designing & creating a PBS survey that will
improve its response rate and its accuracy, the
researcher has too focus on:
1. Formatting
2. Initial Design Considerations
(Goals, Topic, Concept, Content, Wording, Length
, Response Categories)
3. The Cover and Cover Page (Short & Simple)
4. Directions
5. Ordering of Questions (Logic & Flow)
6. Page Design

5.  Confidentiality assurance:
Respondents can be confident that an
unnamed piece of paper placed into a box is
relatively untraceable, respondents often have
concerns over confidentiality with web-based
surveys (concerns regarding handwriting can
be an issue)
 Mobility/ease of transport:
paper-based surveys can be particularly
useful for those respondents who do not have
easy access to a PC

6.  Increases potential sample size
Especially when questionnaires are
distributed by hand or self administered
 Readability:
A paper survey in black ink offers a better
resolution than you will find on any computer
monitor making it easier for the respondent
to read

7.  Most popular survey approach to data
collection
 Allows great flexibility regarding types of
items and scales
 Participants work directly on the survey
document
 Easy to change at last minute
 Can be completed anywhere, at any time, in
any order
 Lower risk, fewer uncertainties with technical
glitches

8.  Expensive when compared to online surveys:
Paper surveys must be printed (large
booklets) , posted, received and collated, and
have their data entered and coded for
analysis.
 Slow response: Printing, posting, distributing
and responding may require a lot of time
 Incomplete responses: Respondents may not
finish the complete survey, especially long
surveys and Response burden can be high
with long documents

9.  Increased data entry and analysis time
Data processing is costly, complex, time-
consuming and more prone to errors due to
hand entry or scanning process
 Limited space and design
 May require good writing skills
 Appears ‘low tech’

10.  Regardless of the fact that the prices of
paper, printing and posting are in the rise
paper based surveys are still an important
research tool.
 A researcher should know the needs of his
respondents before designing either a paper
based or a web survey.

11.  Corey Greenlaw, C. & Brown-Welty, S. (2009) A Comparison of Web-Based
and Paper-Based Survey Methods Testing Assumptions of Survey Mode and
Response SAGE Publications Cost Vol 33 Number 5 pp. 464-480
 Hanna, R.C. et al (2005) Do internet-based surveys increase personal self-
disclosure? Database Marketing & Customer Strategy Management Vol.
12, 4, pp. 342–356
 Fanning, E., (2005) Formatting a Papers-Based-Survey Questionnaire: Best
Practices Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation Vol. 10 No 12 pp.
 Martins, N., (2010) Measurement model equivalence in web- and paper-
based surveys, Southern African Business Review Vol. 14, Number 3, pp. 77-
107