What percentage of the households in the United States have answered a
survey in the last year?

The survey could be sponsored by anyone, including market research,
politicians, government, or non-profits.  Surveys by schools or
churches would count -- telemarketing would not.

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Clarification of Question by researchcity-ga on 11 Mar 2005 07:35 PST

If this question gets answered today, I will tip an additional $50.

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Clarification of Question by researchcity-ga on 11 Mar 2005 10:15 PST

Your findings help answer the question of how many households will
answer a survey (the response rate.)  What I am interested in is how
many households have been approached to answer ANY survey in the last
year.

My guestimate is that this number is between 1/3 and 1/2 of all
households -- but I have to be able to "footnote" the answer.

Maybe this could be estimated by figuring out roughly how many surveys
were completed this past year, and then using the response rate to
back out how many were approached?

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Request for Question Clarification by bobbie7-ga on 11 Mar 2005 10:51 PST

I just sent off an email to an organization that may have this
information available and if I receive a reply I will let you know.

Thanks,
Bobbie7

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 11 Mar 2005 10:52 PST

You original question asks for the percent of households that have
ANSWERED a survey.

Your clarification asks for the percent that have been APPROACHED to
answer a survey.

Which figure should we be searching for?


pafalafa-ga

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Clarification of Question by researchcity-ga on 11 Mar 2005 11:03 PST

Sorry for any confusion.  

Ideally, I want the number of households who have ANSWERED a survey. 
However, if the number of households APPROACHED is easier, I would
settle for that.

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Clarification of Question by researchcity-ga on 11 Mar 2005 14:25 PST

Dear Google Gurus:

This question might be harder to answer than initially thought.  I am
willing to offer a $75 tip if this is answered by noon (CST) Monday.

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Clarification of Question by researchcity-ga on 14 Mar 2005 13:52 PST

This question was answered by an offline researcher for me earlier
today.  Thank you for everyone's interest.

Hello researchcity,

I was not able to locate the exact information you require; however my
findings might be helpful.


Table 1. e-mail Survey Response Rates By Year
http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol6/issue2/sheehan.html


Online Survey Response Rates and Times
Background and Guidance for Industry
http://www.supersurvey.com/papers/supersurvey_white_paper_response_rates.htm


The Polling Industry in a Crisis?

"There is a lot of talk these days about lower polling response rates.
When I started working in this profession, response rates averaged 65
percent ? that is, for every three people reached on the phone, two
would agree to respond to a survey. Today, average response rates are
about 30 percent, and they tend to be much lower in some metropolitan
areas. Some pundits are ready to declare that polls are dead because
of this."
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/election04/polls.htm

2003 Respondent Cooperation & Industry Image Study 
http://www.cmor.org/resp_coop_studies.cfm

Does any of the above information help?

Thanks,
Bobbie7
Google Answers Researcher

How many households have responded to a survey?
This number may not jibe with the number of replies reported to the
organization that made the survey.
This happened in Germany, but could very well be the case elsewhere;
surveyors are not paid much, and then by the number of replies they
deliver.
The son of friends was surveying by phone from the phone book, and his
"boss"  indicated that he could pad his results once he got a "trend"
from actual phone interviews.  Probably the "boss" was also paid by
the number of replies.  ...?

Personally, I have only once in 30 years been called by a surveyor.
Good luck