Item non‐response rates: a comparison of online and paper questionnaires

Item non‐response rates are a significant factor affecting the quality of questionnaire data. This article looks at the impact that the mode of administration might have on item non‐response rates. Using closely matched groups of respondents (n = 466) it compares item non‐response rates for near‐identical versions of online and paper questionnaires. The research also analyses the difference between fixed‐choice and open‐ended questions in terms of their respective item non‐response rates. Findings from the research indicate that the administration of questionnaires online, while it might have relatively little impact on the item non‐response rates for fixed‐choice questions, would seem to reduce item non‐response rates where the questions are open‐ended and require respondents to provide unstructured text‐based answers.