Self Administered Interviews

Discuss the following questions then respond to at least two of your fellow students' postings.

* Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of self-administered interviewing, face-to-face interviewing, and telephone interviewing.

* What is necessary for the success of each of these three methods?

* How do these survey methods compare?

Self-administered surveys have a number of advantages, among one of the strongest of which is the cost associated with the survey (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). Companies can mail or fax paper copies of a survey as well as reach participants by creating access via the internet. Geographic areas can be added with minimal or no cost, and participants have time to consider their answers. If the internet is utilized, data collection can be very quick and requires minimal staff to administer and collect the data (2011). Disadvantages of self-administered surveys include the need for a low distraction environment, secure environments, limitations on the survey length, and low response rates depending on whether the survey is mailed, faxed, or used on the internet (2011). In order to get the most out of a survey, it should be easy to read, offer clear response options, and should appeal to the participant that their input is essential to the success of the survey.

Face-to-face interviewing offers advantages such as offering a personal aspect for the participant. The surveyor can clarify questions, offer follow up questions to obtain further information, and can also assist illiterate or impaired participants (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). Face-to-Face interviewing allows the survey to gain the greater amount of specific and targeted data as opposed to self-administered surveys. The participants can be prescreened, and often offer a greater amount of participation compared to self-administered and telephone surveys. Disadvantages include that this type of survey is costly to administer, is difficult to gain follow...