11-24, 13:00–13:15 (Australia/Melbourne), Zoom Breakout Room 3
Life in Australia™ is Australia’s only probability-based online panel, in operation since 2017. The panel was initially recruited in 2016 using dual-frame random digit dialling (RDD), topped up in 2018 using cell phone RDD as a single frame, expanded in 2019 using address-based sampling (A-BS), and topped up in late 2020 using a combination of A-BS, interactive voice response (IVR) calls to cell phones, and SMS push-to-web (i.e., invitations using only SMS) and expanded again in late 2021 using A-BS.
We present our findings with respect to recruitment and profile rates, retention, and completion rates. We also present the demographic profile of panel members compared to Census benchmarks with respect to age, gender, education, and nativity. We also discuss projections of amortised recruitment cost allowing for more frequent top-ups and higher attrition of SMS push-to-web sample to shed further light on cost considerations.
The yields from IVR and SMS push-to-web sample were below that of ABS, however the costs for IVR and SMS push-to-web were well below those of ABS and the less expensive modes actually delivered a more desirable panel member profile with respect to age and nativity, though not education. Our research raises interesting questions as to the trade-off between bias, cost, and face validity in the form of response rates.
This paper contributes to the international body of research on recruitment methods for probability-based online panels (see, e.g., Bertoni 2019; Bilgen, Dennis, and Ganesh 2018; Blom, Gathmann, and Krieger 2015; Bosnjak et al. 2018; Jessop 2018; Knoef and de Vos 2009; Meekins, Fries, and Fink 2019; Pedlow and Zhao 2016; Pew Research Center 2015, 2019; Pollard and Baird 2017; Scherpenzeel and Toepoel 2012; Stern 2015; Vaithianathan 2017; Ventura et al. 2017).
Dr Benjamin Phillips is Chief Survey Methodologist at the Social Research Centre and has over 17 years of experience in social research. He develops and applies survey methodology for Social Research Centre projects, including Life in Australia™, Australia’s only probability online panel, the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching [QILT] suite of surveys for the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, the Monash University/Scanlon Foundation Mapping Social Cohesion Survey and the Lowy Institute Poll.