Testing Whether Text and Email Contacts Improve Response in a Large ABS Mixed-Mode Study

Oregon Convention Center 

Multiple modes of contact can increase participation over using a single mode. Text messaging has emerged as a new contact mode; however, it's unclear how to best combine texting with mail and email contacts and what effects these strategies have on response and data quality. To explore the impact of text and email, we designed experiments that varied the number and sequencing of text and email contacts. These were implemented in two waves of the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, a nationally representative, longitudinal study.
We experimented with the use of text and email invitations and reminders, and the number of reminders sent by different modes. The first study compared text reminders early vs. later in the field period and the impact of a text invitation. The second study explored the use of text and email invitations and the use of multiple text reminders. We also explored the impact of email invitations based on whether the email was provided only for contact or for prior survey incentive payment. In the paper, we examine the effects of the experiments on completion rates, response time, sample representation, and item nonresponse.

mixed-mode

contact strategies

text messaging

text reminders

response rates

text invitations 

Survey Research Methods Section