Article Abstract

"Network Effects of the "Net": Word-of-Mouth Effects on On-Line Survey Samples"
|by Cristel A. Russelland Andrew T. Norman. Working paper.

Abstract: The use of the Internet as a medium for collecting survey data has become a more viable option for researchers as the user population has grown and diversified. This project contributes to the knowledge of Internet survey methodology by investigating how unique characteristics of the Internet affect the nature of sampling and sample sizes in an on-line survey context. Specifically we identify network effects as a factor that can influence sampling aspects of on-line surveys exclusively. We establish network effects as a form of word-of-mouth communication and draw from the literature in this area to hypothesize factors that influence their occurrence and to study their effects on sampling. The results of two studies provide empirical support for the existence and impact of network effects and establish factors that contribute to their occurrence.

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