Based on numerous surveys created in 1KA we summarised the most common mistakes when creating a web survey. Some mistakes can be fully detected automatically, some can be detected almost fully automatically, some can be detected automatically in minority and some cannot be detected automatically at all. 1KA tool already enables automatic solving of a big number of cases. Some of the recommendations refer to question types, number of questions in a block and on one page, question filtering, reminders, questionnaire structure, etc. We have identified 26 recommendations that help 1KA users to create a quality questionnaire.
F.17 Transfer of existing technologies, know-how, methods and procedures into practice
The WebSM.org website was established in 1998 by Vasja Vehovar and Katja Lozar Manfreda. It was further developed by a project funded by the 5th EU Framework Programme (2003–2005). It is internationally recognized as the main information source on the methodology of web surveys and other survey approaches based on modern information-communication technologies. It offers a specialized bibliographic database of publications from this field, list of software solutions and services for implementing surveys, list of scientific events and other information relevant for survey methodologists and users. The website is visited by users from all over the world. The leader of the proposed project continuously coordinates development of portal and inclusion of new relevant information. The key development activities on the portal in the last three years include development of new criteria for publication coding, research on networks of authors in the field as well as a pilot application of text mining algorithms for automated classification of included papers. During the project implementation the WebSM portal was expanded with the field of online survey mixed mode.
F.16 Improvements to an existing information system/databases
Since 2012, Vasja Vehovar coordinates annual events "Web survey day", organised by the research group of the Centre for Social Informatics. The target audience of the events are professional public as well as other web survey users who are interested in the stateof- the-art advances and trends in the field of web survey methodology. Events consist of presentations by researchers from the research group and leading experts in the field from abroad. Among the latter, talks were given by Jon Krosnick (2013) and Mario Callegaro (2015). The events also consist of workshops intended to foster a transfer of methodological knowledge into practice. The events are each year attended by 200–400 participants from academic, governmental, and private research institutions and other web survey users. During the project implementation three DSA events (September 2013, 2014, 2015) were carried out and we have also started organizing the event DSA 2016, which was carried out in September 2016.
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting
Invitations to web surveys vs. interviewer administered surveys represent a much more complex process, which greatly varies with circumstances (e.g. employees, students). Regarding email invitations to web surveys little research has been published on invitation timing. In addition, existing studies are inconclusive – they report very different best days of the week and best times of the day to send email invitations to web surveys. In general, timing should enable contacting respondents so that they are not too busy when receiving the invitation. In general, best time to contact is during weekday afternoons (face-to-face) or evenings (telephone), and particularly weekends, while day of the week is less important for mail surveys.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 33397597Katja Lozar Manfreda, PhD and Vasja Vehovar, PhD received the award Excellent in science 2016 for their work on the field of web surveys. The presentations of awardees were carried out on 30th November 2016. Katja Lozar Manfreda, PhD presented the contribution Web surveys as a profession and as science. She emphasized the advantages and disadvantages of web surveys. Excellent in science is the project of Slovenian Research Agencies that is carried out within the promotion of science. The purpose of the project is to present the scientific achievements to the general public.
E.01 National awards