RETURN POSTAGE IN MAIL SURVEYS.

This paper describes a five-step procedure for meta- analysis. Especially important was the contacting of authors of prior papers. This was done primarily to improve the accuracy of the coding; it also helped to identify unpublished research and to supply missing information. Application of the five-step procedure to the issue of return postage in mail surveys yielded significantly more papers and produced more definitive conclusions than those derived from traditional reviews. This meta- analysis indicated that business reply postage is seldom cost- effective because first class postage yields an additional 9% return. Business reply rates were lower than for other first class postage in each of the 20 comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]