Survey Questionnaire Format Effect on Response Rate and Cost per Return.

The response rates of university graduates and the cost per return were studied for a 20-item questionnaire presented in 3 formats as follows: (1) a 2-page questionnaire with an accompanying self-addressed stamped envelope; (2) a condensed format with smaller type, on 1 page, with a self-addressed stamped envelope; and (3) the single-page questionnaire incorporated as a self-mailer. Nineteen questionnaire items were based on a 4-point Likert scale, and the 20th item was an open-ended question scored on another 4-point scale. A wide-scale mailing to college graduates was made to survey their perceptions of the effectiveness of their undergraduate education. Of the 7,078 surveys sent out, 1,830 were returned (25.7 percent response rate overall). Response rates for the questionnaires were 27.9 percent for the 2-page with return envelope, 26.3 percent for the single page with envelope, and 23.3 percent for the single page self-mailer. Responses were also similar across the eight university colleges. The most efficient format was the 1-page questionnaire with a return envelope (1.256 dollar per return) and the most expensive was the two-page with envelope (1.591 dollar per return). Although differences in the return rates for the three formats were statistically significant, there may be little practical impact to small differences in surveys with low return rates. Three tables present study findings. (SLD)