The Validity of Surveys: Online and Offline

As more types of media have entered peoples homes, surveys can be conducted in ever more ways. In the thirties and forties, going door to door, or mailing surveys out, were the only options. From the seventies onwards, phone interviews became a popular alternative, thanks to the near universal adoption of the telephone. And now, as the internet is ever more ubiquitous, web-surveys are becoming an interesting option as well. Online surveys are generally considered cheaper, faster, and more convenient.42 In addition, they also have a potential for international reach, allow for elaborate skip-logic, and eliminate errors in data-entry.10