One of our areas of specialization is online survey methodology and, more specifically, issues related to survey sample integrity. Of particular interest to some readers is the now widely recognized problem of survey cheating. “Cheaters” are those folks who, in the effort to maximize the incentives they receive for taking online surveys, provide false information or take a survey more than once.

We have written two brief articles on the topic of survey cheating: Managing Data Integrity in Online Surveys provides strategic insight for researchers and managers who are either evaluating the integrity of online samples or are planning to conduct an online survey. Who Participates in Market Research Surveys? tells the story of “Mike,” a very frequent survey taker. That article provides more general insight on how “professional survey takers” operate and how some attempt to maximize their survey-taking income.

We also want to note it is important to recognize that many survey respondents are indeed good folks who provide honest feedback. We know this because we have done studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods that allow us to explore honesty. Moreover, the problem of cheating occurs more in some studies than others. As a general rule of thumb, when using the Internet to survey low-incidence populations (e.g., users of a rare technology) it is especially important to be diligent in the search for cheaters. By contrast, when surveying people about products many or most people use (e.g., bottled water), the incidence of cheating tends to be lower. The bottom line is all survey samples (especially from online studies) should be examined carefully before reporting.

As always, let us know if you have any questions about your online survey project and we’ll do our best to provide answers.