Web-based surveys: Programming, methodology, statistical significance

The increased use of the World Wide Web (Web, or The Web) has caused a growing interest in using the Web for academic purposes. Delivery of information has been the major focus, with interactive instructional applications growing in importance. The Web is also being used for information gathering. A web-based survey may increase response numbers because of ease of use, and the data gathered can be immediately used as the data file for a statistical package. Costs in both time and money may be reduced while accuracy could be increased. The methodological and statistical rigors of academic surveys, as they relate to Web-based surveys, have yet to be fully investigated. This presentation will address those issues while giving examples of both method and use.