Surveys are one of the ways of collecting data, especially when it comes to a larger number of people. There are mainly two ways of conducting surveys, online and offline. Both types of survey methods have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, and neither is better than the other; what makes them better is the purpose for which the survey has to be conducted.
Read the article to learn more about the offline and online survey methods, ranging from their meaning and benefits to insight into online research tools and the disadvantages of each of the survey methods.
Offline And Online Survey Methods Overview
The table below summarises key details about the offline and online survey methods that one should know.
| Meaning of surveys | A systematic way of collecting people’s information. |
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| Offline survey meaning | Information collected via traditional means, without the use of the internet. |
| Online survey meaning | Online surveys are those wherein information is collected using internet-based platforms, like websites. |
| Ways of collecting data | Offline survey methods are paper-based survey methods, face-to-face survey methods, and others, while online survey methods are Mobile survey collection, virtual interview, etc. |
What Are Offline Survey Methods?
Offline surveys are those surveys wherein information is collected by people via traditional paper-based survey methods or via direct face-to-face interviews. Offline surveys are usually done and should be done when one is trying to reach a certain type of population, a population that might not be well versed with the usage of the internet. As everything is done manually, it takes a lot of time and effort.
What Are Online Survey Methods?
Online surveys are those wherein information is collected using internet-based platforms, like websites. Online survey methods allow researchers to collect people’s information using electronic devices, like mobile phones or laptops, and the analysis also happens via online tools. These types of surveys are cost-effective, less time-consuming for both the researcher and responders, and quicker.
Survey Methods In Research
There are various types of survey data collection methods for conducting surveys via both offline and online measures. All the major survey methods in research are laid out below for one’s better understanding.
Offline Survey Methods
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Face-to-face survey method: In this method, the researcher directly meets the respondent, asks them all the questions in the survey, and records their response right then and there. This type of survey method is used in social research, and because it is manually done, it takes a lot of time.
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Paper-based survey methods: One of the traditional survey methods is the paper and pencil questionnaire method wherein printed questionnaires are distributed to respondents who are supposed to answer them out themselves. This is ideal to be administered to a group, and information can be collected by multiple people at a single point in time.
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Group-based survey method: One of the field survey techniques is the group-based survey method, wherein information is collected from a large group of people at the same time under the supervision of the researcher or survey administrator. These types of surveys are cost-efficient and save time when collecting information.
Online Survey Methods
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Mobile survey collection: Mobile app surveys are those wherein information is collected from responders with the help of a mobile app. People just have to download the app on their phones and fill out the questionnaire as and when they can. One of the purposes of using this method is for online feedback collection.
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Virtual interview method: With the help of this survey method, researchers conduct live interviews with people via online conferencing platforms, like Google Meet. Information is collected in real-time, but no one has to travel, making this method convenient for both the interviewer and interviewee.
Advantages Of Online Surveys
Some of the advantages of online surveys are mentioned below for one’s clarity:
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One of the biggest advantages of online surveys is that they are cost-effective compared to offline measures of data collection. Surveys are run through electronic means and can be accessed by people from any location.
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Responses collected via online surveys are collected as soon as the responder clicks on the submit option. Large amounts of data are collected in a very short period of time.
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Online surveys are rolled out via electronic means, meaning they can reach a wider population without the researcher having to travel physically to the responders’ locations.
Disadvantages Of Online Surveys
Online surveys also come with certain limitations. Some of its disadvantages are described below in brief points
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Online surveys cannot be done by people who are not digitally literate, have no or limited access to the internet, or are not in the habit of using electronic devices, such as people living in remote or rural parts of India.
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It is very easy to ignore online surveys if simply sent to people’s emails, meaning less responses. Respondents can also become easily distracted when filling in information in online surveys, which can have a negative impact on their responses.
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As there is no one to supervise the responders, people can easily fill in deceitful responses in surveys, compromising the quality of the survey.
Benefits Of Offline Surveys
The benefits of using the offline survey method are laid out below in brief points:
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Offline surveys enable direct face-to-face communication between the researcher and the responder. This helps in building trust and facilitates responders in giving much more accurate responses.
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If there are any ambiguities in the survey or if there are any questions in the participant’s minds, they can directly get them resolved as the researcher is present with them, improving the overall quality of data collection.
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Offline surveys are ideal and perfect for when the researcher is trying to collect information from people living in rural or remote regions of the country, who are often not that familiar with the use of digital technology.
Disadvantages Of Offline Surveys
Some of the major disadvantages of offline surveys are described below in brief for one’s clarity:
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Offline surveys can be expensive due to various reasons, like the printing of the questionnaires, administrators would have to travel to collect information, the costs of manual data entry for the analysis of collected data, etc.
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Data collected via offline survey methods takes a lot of time as everything has to be done manually, which can take months, based on the size of the population from whom the data is to be collected.
Difference Between Online And Offline Surveys
Key differences between the online survey vs offline survey are mentioned below in a tabular format:
| Component | Online survey | Offline survey |
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| Meaning | Online surveys are those that are conducted via digital means, like websites, mobile apps, etc. | Offline surveys mean surveys that are conducted manually by people via physical questionnaires. |
| Mode of data collection | Online data collection | Data is collected manually, meaning people’s responses are collected in real time as they provide their answers. |
| Speed of data collection | Very quick responses can be given in just a couple of minutes, the exact time based on the total number of questions in the survey. | Comparatively slower as survey distribution and response collection are done manually. |
| Reach | Wide reach as they are rolled out via the internet. | Limited reach, as it is done manually, usually for specific populations and areas. |
| Cost | Low cost, making it extremely cost-effective. | More expensive as surveys have to be printed out, investigators have to be hired, data-entry related costs, etc. |
| Degree of convenience | Extremely convenient as people can fill out surveys anytime, from anywhere. | People have to be physically present to provide their responses to a survey. |
| Accuracy and chances of errors | Much more accurate and with low chances of errors. | Greater chances of errors as everything is done manually by people. |
Best Survey Method For Research By Government Agencies
Government agencies usually use a combination. i.e., an optimal mix of both offline and online survey methods as the population size is larger and more diverse. Popularly, a combination of the face-to-face survey method with Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing is considered the most effective way of data collection for official purposes, like census.
Conclusion
Online and offline survey methods help the researchers in collecting the necessary information from the target sample or population. Offline surveys provide personal interaction and higher chances of collecting accurate responses, while on the other hand, online surveys offer speed, cost-effectiveness, and wide reach. The type of survey method should always be used after considering various factors, like the purpose of the survey, the size of the target population, the budget, etc.
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