Questionnaires and web experiments are essential to the study of epidemiology which provides vital information about the state of public health and diseases. They are a typical method of collecting data, which is often less costly and time-consuming than face-toface interviews, paper questionnaires mailed or automated menus for telephone systems. However questionnaires, surveys and Web experiments are not without limitations that should be addressed to ensure valid and reliable results.
A questionnaire may be affected by response bias, which is the tendency of respondents to answer questions according to their own opinions instead of the research objectives. The layout of a survey can influence responses in a variety of ways. For example, the wording of the question can affect whether respondents are able to comprehend the question and interpret it in the same way (reliable) or whether the question is relevant to the topic you are looking for (valid), and if they are able to accurately answer (credible).
Survey fatigue or a lack engagement with the questionnaire can also make respondents less likely to give honest responses. Additionally, a lack of incentives or compensation can discourage participants from taking the time to complete a questionnaire.
Online questionnaires internet-based.org/ can also pose a challenge for some experiments, such as reaction-time or positioning studies. It is difficult to measure and control variables across participants due to the different settings for browsers operating systems, browser settings, and screen sizes.
Finaly, Web-based surveys can only be accessed by people who are keyboard and Internet knowledgeable. This excludes a substantial segment of the population. In addition, it is often hard for Web researchers to inform participants after an experiment’s window closes.