Paradata in Web Surveys
Venue
Improving Surveys with Paradata: Analytic Uses of Process Information, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ (2013), pp. 263-282
Publication Year
2013
Authors
BibTeX
Abstract
An important technical distinction regarding the collection of paradata in web
surveys is that they can be collected on the server side and/or the client side. In
web surveys, paradata is categorized into device-type paradata and questionnaire
navigation paradata. Device-type paradata provide information regarding the kind of
device used to complete the survey. Questionnaire navigation paradata describe the
entire process of filling out the questionnaire. This chapter provides examples of
usage for device-type and questionnaire navigation paradata. Another use of
paradata pioneered in the early 2000s by Jeavons is adaptive scripting. Adaptive
scripting refers to using paradata in real time to change the survey experience for
the respondent. The chapter also discusses two main classes of software to collect
paradata such as specific paradata software and paradata collection tools embedded
in commercial and non-commercial survey platforms. Ethical and communication issues
are important considerations in using web survey paradata.
