Cost-effectiveness of differential techniques for mail questionnaires

As part of a follow-up study of a national sample of 59,000 freshmen who enrolled in colleges or universities in the fall of 1966, 14 random samples of approximately 1000 students each were assigned to various mail survey techniques. Cost and response rate data were examined to determine the relative “cost-effectiveness” of the techniques. The results indicated that use of nonprofit outgoing postage, window envelopes, and business reply returns lowered the costs per contact and did not significantly impair rate of return. Use of a second-wave questionnaire was a very effective technique for increasing the response rate.