When we looked online at genetic tests marketed to consumers, the options were dizzying; after reading the websites we were left with more questions than answers and we wondered—what does this mean for consumers? - Jill Furnival, Genetic Counselor, SoundRocketNew...
From the LaunchPad
Welcome to The Launchpad, SoundRocket’s blog, where we share our insights and musings on the science of doing science (well), #soundscience.
Scott D. Crawford: ‘Equity & Inclusion in Accessible Survey Design’
This seminar is part of two seminar series: a seminar series hosted jointly by the Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science at the University of Michigan and the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Marylandthe Inclusive Research...
Genomic Return of Results Study Underscores Clinical Value, Takeaways for Expanded Implementation
Biobanks studying genes and human health in large populations are popping up around the globe, but what are researchers to do when they uncover medically important—or potentially lifesaving—results for volunteers who gave their DNA anonymously to science? A research...
Interview with Dr. Bill Axinn, Survey Expert & SoundRocket Collaborator (Part 1)
Photo by Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0) Soundrocket conducted an interview with University of Michigan professor Bill Axinn. Bill is a valued client and collaborator, and this post outlines Dr. Axinn's research, how he first came to find Scott Crawford, eventually...
Satisficing: Why Survey Participants Give Quick, Inaccurate Answers
In a previous post we discussed how to minimize survey breakoff. Surveys are a great way to collect data but when designing a survey it’s important to consider how much is too much. Today we are going to discuss satisficing, how to keep respondents engaged, and in...
Good Surveys Come With Subtraction, Not Addition: How Questionnaire Length Leads to Breakoffs
We often hear—so how long can our questionnaire be? While we love surveys, the reality is most respondents don’t share our enthusiasm, which means long questionnaires can be bad for data quality. Today we are going to look at how long surveys can lead to breakoff, and...
Introducing Error Through Use of Web Survey Progress Indicators
In 1998, fascinated with the potential for the web to serve as a data collection platform, I wondered what sources of error may crop up with this new technology. Not surprisingly, we noticed early on that if participants did not finish a web-based survey in one...
Surveying College Students with SMS: Is it Feasible?
Text messages (also known as Short Message Service, or SMS) have become the go-to medium when contacting others. This is especially the case for today’s college students, who seem to conduct their social and even business lives completely via messaging service.
SoundRocket examined the data surrounding the efficacy of using SMS when surveying college students, resulting in presentation at a past American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Conference.
SoundRocket Founder to Speak at FEDCASIC Workshop
If you would like to spot some serious survey nerds while enjoying the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, D.C. this year, step on down to the Bureau of Labor Statistics where SoundRocket founder Scott D. Crawford will be presenting at the The Federal Computer Assisted Survey Information Collection (FEDCASIC) Workshop. Scott will be presenting “Best Practices in Consent to Capture Geolocation Data in Self-Administered Web Surveys” in the Wednesday afternoon session on Advances in the Use of Location Data.