NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project, Paper Three: The Impact of a Sponsor Letter on Mail Survey Response Rates
Abstract
In this paper, we describe the impact of two interventions in the design of mail surveys. The interventions were devised to increase response rates and to clarify sample eligibility. To test their effectiveness, the interventions occurred at different points in each of three surveys. One intervention was a letter from the research sponsor (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) supporting the research. The other intervention was the inclusion of a postcard that could be used by the respondent to indicate that the questionnaire was not appropriate for him/her. The sample was drawn from the membership of a professional aerospace research society - the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics. Scientists and engineers are difficult to survey for two reasons. First, there are significant problems with the definition of scientists and engineers (Citro and Kalton, 1989). Second, typically there are low response rates in surveys of this group (Citro and Kalton, 1989). These two problems were found in the NASA surveys. The results indicate that the sponsor letter improved response rates under certain conditions described in the paper. The postcards assisted in identifying non- eligible persons particularly when they accompanied a pre-survey letter. The implications for survey costs are discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA252562
Entities
People
- John M. Kennedy
- Thomas E. Pinelli
Organizations
- Langley Research Center