The Flexibility of Contact Methods in Surveys

Which of the following contact methods is generally the least flexible?

A) telephone interviewing

B) personal interviewing

C) mail questionnaires

D) online surveys

E) online panels

Answer:

The least flexible among the provided contact methods is mail questionnaires.

Among the listed contact methods, the one that is generally considered the least flexible is mail questionnaires. This is due to several factors. For one, once a mail questionnaire has been sent out, there is no opportunity for the sender to clarify any questions that may arise or to probe deeper into particular responses. Additionally, it is completely reliant on the recipient to take the initiative to return the questionnaire, resulting in often low response rates. In contrast, options such as online surveys or telephone interviews allow for greater flexibility; questions can be revised, clarified, or added as necessary, and response rates are often higher.

Therefore, when considering the flexibility of contact methods in surveys, mail questionnaires are typically the least preferred choice due to their lack of interactivity and dependence on the recipient's initiative.