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JRCERT Update

respondent’s participation in the survey will benefit Improved survey response rate provides data that is
the program or the profession. Providing a survey as an more representative of the sample population.
extra credit assignment with points awarded for comple-
tion is an example of a nonmonetary incentive that could
be used for course evaluations. For alumni, providing a Mahsa Dehghanpour, EdD, CMD, serves as second
sentimental token such a class photo on completion of vice chair on the Joint Review Committee on Education in
the survey could be offered as an incentive. Radiologic Technology board of directors and is medical
Saleh and Bista suggested that sending reminders dosimetry program director and professor for The University
results in a higher participation rate in men, and pro- of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
viding incentives results in a higher participation rate Tracy Herrmann, PhD, R.T.(R), FAEIRS, serves as first
among older adults. For web-based surveys, personal- vice chair on the Joint Review Committee on Education in
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ization increases response rate by 48%; incentives, even Radiologic Technology board of directors and is associate
incentives with a low chance of winning, increase the dean of academic affairs and professor of allied health for the
response rate by 30%. Changing the wording of remind- University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College in Ohio.
ers for the survey lifetime increases the response rate
by more than 30%, but the time the target population References
is contacted has no effect on the response rate. This is 1. Fink AG. How to Conduct Surveys: A Step-by-Step Guide. 6th ed.
3
consistent with findings showing that providing a mon- SAGE Publications, Inc; 2016.
etary award ($10 incentive in their research) increased 2. Standards for an accredited educational program in radiog-
the participation rate by 27%. Low cost and no cost raphy. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic
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incentives can be effective at increasing response rates Technology. Published April 2020. Accessed May 15, 2021.
https://wordpress-1182231-4152295.cloudwaysapps.com/accreditation-information/accredita
for surveys in some populations. Whether incentives are tion-standards-2021/
monetary or intrinsic, it is important that they do not 3. Sauermann H, Roach M. Increasing web survey response rates
affect the way the participant responds to the survey. in innovation research: an experimental study of static and
dynamic contact design features. Res Policy. 2013;42(1):273-286.
Questionnaire 4. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2012.05.003
Hensley C. Program survey development. Radiol Technol.
There is no consistency between the length of survey 2021;92(3):297-300.
questionnaire and the response rate; however, carefully 5. Shih TH, Fan X. Comparing response rates in e-mail and
planning the order of the questions and beginning the paper surveys: a meta-analysis. Educ Res Rev. 2009;4(1):26-40.
survey with questions that catch respondents’ atten- doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2008.01.003
tion might be beneficial. For example, putting the 6. Fraze SD, Hardin KK, Brashears MT, Haygood JL, Smith JH.
demographic questions at the end of survey increases The effects of delivery mode upon survey response rate and
perceived attitudes of Texas agri-science teachers. J Agric Educ.
the response rate compared with when they are placed 2003;44(2):27-37. doi:10.5032/jae.2003.02027
at the beginning. The type of questions also could 7. Hardigan PC, Popovici I, Carvajal MJ. Response rate, response
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increase survey completion, such as starting a question- time, and economic costs of survey research: a random-
naire with multiple choice or Likert scale questions ized trial of practicing pharmacists. Res Social Adm Pharm.
instead of open-ended questions. 2016;12(1):141-148. doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2015.07.003
8. Medway RL, Fulton J. When more gets you less: a meta-analysis
of the effect of concurrent web options on mail survey response
Conclusion rates. Public Opin Q. 2012;76(4):733-746. doi:10.1093/poq
Surveys can be an important resource for its data on /nfs047
a population’s characteristics and can be used to help 9. Fowler FJ. Methods of data collection. In: Fowler FJ, ed. Survey
shape policy, programs, and research. Programs should Research Methods. Vol 1. 5th ed. SAGE Publications, Inc;
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2014:61-74.
consider factors that can affect the survey response 10. Saleh A, Bista K. Examining factors impacting online survey
rate for a targeted population, as well as the available response rates in educational research: perceptions of graduate
resources when designing and distributing surveys. students. J Multidiscip Eval. 2017;13(29):63-74.

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