Increasing Response Rates to Mail Surveys: The Impact of Adherence to Dillman-like Procedures and Techniques

Abstract

Although the mail survey has been widely criticized as a viable research methodology, it remains the most feasible approach for retrieving data from large, widely dispersed populations. This article suggests that there exists a readily accessible body of pragmatic recommendations which, if adhered to throughout the instrument design and data collection phases, may dramatically increase response rates where mail surveys are employed. The article employs a content analysis of three recent studies of diverse higher education topics. Each achieved a high rate of return from dissimilar respondent groups located in divergent geographical locations.