Web-based Research
& Surveys
A Research Ethics Board Educational Seminar
Fuschia M. Sirois
Web-based Research & Surveys
Outline
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Purpose
Brief overview of the pros and cons of
web-based surveys
Group exercise
Examining specific ethical issues and
possible solutions
Sample web-based survey
Questions and answers
Web-based Research & Surveys
Purpose of this seminar is to:
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familiarize you with some of the
ethical issues and concerns that arise
when conducting on-line research
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offer possible solutions to help you
address these issues when preparing
the REB application
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provide a discussion forum for the
exchange of ideas on how to deal
with online research issues
On-line Surveys
Growing in popularity as a research tool
 Many advantages
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Low cost, large samples, specialized
samples, less time for data collection and
entry
Some disadvantages
Fluidity of virtual contact
 Challenges for delivering compensation,
incentives
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Online Surveys vs. Mail Surveys
Working in groups, discuss & list
5 ways that on-line surveys are
 similar
to mail surveys
 different from mail surveys
 Focus
on areas that are of
particular relevance for
conducting ethical research
 Take about 10 mins.
Online Surveys vs. Mail Surveys
Mail Survey
On-line Survey
Consent
Implied by return
Implied by submission
Delivery of
incentives to
preserve
anonymity
Mail back separate
E-mail back contact info
form with contact info separate from submitted
survey
Confidentiality
for identified
data
keep identifying
information separate
from data
Data security
Keep data in secure
Incoming data to be
place (locked cabinet) saved on secure server,
on password protected
computer or flash drive
keep identifying
information separate
from data
Recruitment & Advertising
So you have a web-survey
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how do you advertise it to your target
population?
Issues
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EX: The organization you wish to sample
from offers to give you the email list of its
members
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Freedom of Information and Protection of
Privacy Act [FIPPA]
Get a short url (Web team)
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www.uwindsor.ca/IBDStudy
Recruitment & Advertising
Several options
Email
 Newsletter (electronic or paper)
 Online ads
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 Google
etc.
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adwords, Kijjiji.ca, Craigslists.com,
Online forums, newsgroups, bulletin
boards for target population
 Request
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permission to post on boards
Facilitates better response and guards against
removal of study ad
Community postings
Informed Consent Issues
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Consent implied by submission of
survey (letter of information: LOF)
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Clicking on agree demonstrates consent and
links to start of survey
Include note to print out copy for their records
Don’t include LOF in email sent out
 Suggest providing link to welcome
page which then links to LOF
 Set up either in Lotus Notes database
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Includes UWindsor logo, easy to set up
Anonymity of Responses
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Making survey responses anonymous
Don’t request personal contact info
 Don’t add code to responses
 Ensuring anonymity may increase
response rate for certain populations
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Right to withdraw?
limited
 Make this clear in letter of information
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If responses need to be identifiable,
then new issues…..
Confidentiality Issues
If you need to track participants
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Link data across two time points
User code
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Self-generated?
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The case of 5 Buffy123’s
Provide instructions for creating code
Choice of survey software/host
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Where is the survey server located?
US-based survey hosts and the Patriot Act
 Nature of the data should guide decision to
use non-Canadian based servers
Compensation & Incentives
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Draw vs. pay per person
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Optional draw
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different issues
End of survey window with option to click mailto:
link to send email
“Enter me in the Draw” in the subject line
Pay per survey
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Beware of response floods!
Identify survey responses with code which is sent
in email
E-certificates for payment
Other Issues
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Explanation of study page
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If participant “x’s” out, how do they get
this information?
 Program
to automatically open explanation
page if participant prematurely exits survey
 Include a “leave the study” button on every
web page of the survey that would direct
them to the explanation page
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Resources page with links
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Same issues and possible solutions
Solutions limited by the capabilities of
the software used
Some final thoughts….
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Ways to deal with these issues may change
as technology/programming advances
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However such changes may also introduce
new challenges to be dealt with
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Creativity and due diligence
Resources for Conducting On-line
Research
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Wright, K. B. (2005). Researching Internet-based populations:
Advantages and disadvantages of online survey research, online
questionnaire authoring software packages, and web survey
services. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(3),
article 11. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue3/wright.html
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Psychological Research Online: Opportunities and Challenges
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http://www.apa.org/science/apainternetresearch.pdf
Marketing Research Association Ethical Guidelines for Internet
Research
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Provides comprehensive list of on-line survey software and comparative
table
http://www.mra-net.org/pdf/internet_ethics_guidelines.PDF
The Association of Internet Researchers is an academic
association dedicated to the advancement of the cross-disciplinary
field of Internet studies. It is a member-based support network
promoting critical and scholarly Internet research independent from
traditional disciplines and existing across academic borders. The
association is international in scope.
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http://www.aoir.org/
Web-based Research
& Surveys
Questions?
A Research Ethics Board Educational Seminar
Fuschia M. Sirois