The use and positioning of clarification features in web surveys
The use and positioning of clarification features in web surveys

Summary/Abstract: Clarification features are used in Web surveys to improve the quality of responses. It is generally advised to place clarification features after the question stem. However, based on initial findings of an eye-tracking study (Kunz & Fuchs, 2012), we expected that the optimal position depends on the respective stage of the question-answer process as it is referred to by the clarification feature. In three Web surveys, the use and positioning of clarification features were tested in open-ended questions, with three different positions being experimentally varied: before the question stem, after the question stem, and after the answer box. Results indicated that contrary to expectations, the optimal position of clarification features did not differ depending on the respective stage of the question-answer process. Clarification features were principally most effective when they were positioned after the question stem, whereas clarification features placed before the question stem were least effective in improving the quality of responses.

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