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Field Methods, Vol. 17, No. 1, 30-52 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1525822X04269550
© 2005 SAGE Publications

Survey Mode as a Source of Instability in Responses across Surveys

Don A. Dillman

Leah Melani Christian

Washington State University

Changes in survey mode for conducting panel surveys may contribute significantly to survey error. This article explores the causes and consequences of such changes in survey mode. The authors describe how and why the choice of survey mode often causes changes to be made to the wording of questions, as well as the reasons that identically worded questions often produce different answers when administered through different modes. The authors provide evidence that answers may changeas a result of different visual layouts for otherwise identical questions and suggest ways to keep measurement the same despite changes in survey mode.

Key Words: survey mode • questionnaire • panel survey • measurement • survey error


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