Gamanyuk, Alexander. (2020). Selective focus photography of gray mailboxes during daytime. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/nv8SBmWFeJE
The same general rules apply to this mode as to the telephone: it works well with probability sampling methods, and you should first obtain a database of contact information and then apply your sampling scheme to that. One tip for maximizing the response rate to your mail-in survey is to include everything your participants will need: a print out of your survey (perhaps in multiple languages), a pre-addressed return envelope, and pre-paid return postage.
Personal Project
By now, you’ve decided on your survey mode, and your sampling type, and thought about how to avoid sampling bias. Based on your survey mode and sampling type, you can plan how you’ll distribute your survey to a sample of your population of interest. Make sure you consider how you will reach an appropriate sample size, and that you’re not convenience sampling.
In the next sections, you’ll learn about questions and questionnaires. Make sure you have your research question ready so you can start writing your survey!
