Whither the Web: Web 2.0 and the Changing World of Web Surveys

Mick Couper
Senior Associate Research Scientist at the Institute for Social Research, USA

The World Wide Web is undergoing profound changes. The term "Web 2.0" is being used to refer to the second generation of Internet-based services focusing on collaboration and interaction, as opposed to information.

In this presentation I will examine some of these changes and what they mean for the survey research profession. Specifically, the first generation of Web surveys often emulated paper or computer-assisted surveys, without exploiting the unique medium of the Web.

As Web surveys mature, we are seeing ways that the changing medium can be used to redefine the way we think of traditional surveys and questionnaires delivered online. This talk will review some of the design challenges and opportunities for Web surveys.

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