Survey of SERU Institutions: Peer Feedback on Response Rate Topics

Overview

• Survey sent to SERU instituions who administered using U of M OMS in 2014

• Was sent soon after institutions received the common file

• 9 out of 11 institutions responded (82%)• Presentation will focus on a few specific

items• Handout contains full summary of results

Purpose of the Survey

• Use peer feedback to gather information, share ideas, and generate ideas among consortium members

• Identify topics related to response rates that should be explored further.

• This is NOT a research paper – we do not draw any conclusions about causation or correlation in the report.

5 Primary Topics:

1. Marketing Plans

2. Distribution

3. Motivation

4. Deterrents

5. SERU in the Future

Motivators

What strategies did schools report as good motivators for students to take the survey?1. Customized messages sent to targeted groups2. Incentives and/or prizes3. Emails sent from a variety of important people

on campus4. Communication of the value of the survey to

campus

Deterrents

What were the biggest factors in deterring people from taking the survey?1. The survey is too long2. Survey fatigue3. The survey is not mobile friendly4. Students don’t understand the purpose of the

survey or how the data are used5. Students are too busy

More about that mobile friendly topic…

Survey respondents were asked specifically about the impact of the survey not being mobile friendly • 5 respondents (63%) reported that it

negatively affected response rate• 3 respondents (38%) reported that it did

NOT negatively affect response rate

Some evidence of the effect of device type on responsesMetadata such as browser type, device type, etc. were collected at the beginning and end of the survey. One institution reported the following:

“An analysis of completion rates by operating system showed that only 60% of our students who started on a smartphone finished the survey, whereas over 80% of students who started on a computer finished the survey.”

Why shouldn’t SERU try to be mobile friendly?

“SERU is a long survey and a serious one. If it were a quick ‘Hey, answer this survey about whether you want Taco Tuesdays or Fish Fridays,’ then yes, it needs to be mobile friendly. But students don’t write term papers on their mobiles, and I wouldn’t expect them to complete this survey on their mobile either.”

SERU in the Future

All SERU surveys administered through OMS in 2014 closed on July 15.• Proposal to close in 2015 either:

– June 15, or– 3 months from launch date (whichever is a longer period

of time)

(whichever is a longer period of time)• Respondents overwhelmingly in favor of this

proposal• Proposal is being discussed further by decision

makers at this time