Hi Rosie!
I am trying to recruit a general population sample and I also use a
prize draw in my study. My research is conducted via the internet and
takes approx. 45 minutes for session 1, and 1 hour for session 2. Very
long I know. So...as an incentive I offer a prize draw where £100
Amazon voucher can be won. This incentive isn't offered unless
participants complete the whole study though, so as an incentive to
complete session 1, I provide participants with their scores and
comprehensive interpretations on a measure of happiness and satisfaction
with life. At the end of session 2 participants receive their emotional
intelligence score, comprehensive interpretation, an emotional
intelligence workbook and entry into the prize draw.
I really can't say how successful the prize draw technique has been,
because it may well be that it is the feedback that motivates most
participants. In fact, I do think that this is the case (some
participants have told me they really enjoyed the feedback). If the
prize draw was the main incentive, then those 600 participants who have
completed session 1 would have all come back for session 2, yet the drop
out rate is about 55%. On the other hand, I think that drop out would be
higher though without the prize draw incentive. I do think though that
in my study, the prize draw will attract those participants who are not
really interested in learning about themselves via questionnaire
feedback, but instead enjoy entering into competitions or things where
they can win money. This should also be the case with your research.
I personally think that your incentive of a £50 prize draw for 20 mins
is good enough, and I personally would rather have that than be directly
paid £2 to participate (unless of course your budget allows £5 per
participation. Perhaps then this would entice more participants).
I think the problem that both you and me are having is that it is
notoriously difficult to get members of the general public to
participate. No matter how big the incentive is. Well, I suppose if you
offered people £1000 each they wouldn't say no! With my research being
online though, it is more convenient for participants to participate.
How does your study work? That is, do participants have to physically
come into the university? If so, then perhaps £50 prize draw isn't much
incentive. I recently went out of my way to participate in research that
took a few hours of my time, but I got something personally relevant
back at the end of it (I got to find out about my bone density and risk
of Osteoporosis). Is there any way you can modify your study so that
participants get feedback? What about giving them feedback on your
health questionnaire? This would of course have to go through ethical
clearance.
Perhaps the problem lies with your recruitment methods?? That is,
where and how are you trying to recruit people? I have tried about 15
different strategies over the past 4 months, and only now is data coming
in a rate faster than 5 potential participants a day.
Hope this helps. Feel free to drop me an e-mail if you like as i'd be
more than happy to help and discuss ideas with you
[log in to unmask]
Kathryn
Kathryn Gardner
Department of Psychology
University of Central Lancashire
Preston, UK
PR1 2HE
Tel: 01772 89 (4462)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.inspiro.co.uk
>>> Rosie McEachan <[log in to unmask]> 08/08/2005 13:52:47 >>>
Dear all,
I was just wondering what your experiences were regarding payment of
participants for completing questionnaire. At the moment I'm running a
questionnaire for the general public (I'm trying to avoid students and
university staff at present) where they have to complete a general
health behaviour questionnaire in return for being entered into a prize
draw where they can win 'one of two £50 prizes'. The questionnaire only
takes about 20minutes.
I'm not having much success recruiting people, and am wo
ndering whether
it is because of the prize draw incentive? One of my colleagues has been
lucky enough to get money to pay people a small sum to complete two
really quite lengthy questionnaires are they appear to be having much
more luck recruiting.
I was just wondering if anybody else was having similar problems and
found that paying a guaranteed small amount had a better effect than a
prize draw? If not it must just be that my questionnaire is very boring
or that I am not advertising well enough!!!
Would appreciate your thoughts,
Thanks
Rosie
Rosie McEachan
Research Student
Institute of Psychological Sciences
University of Leeds
Tel: 0113 343 6692
(internal ext 36692)
Fax: 0113 343 5749
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