Determinants of Web mode choice in a “Web and paper” survey in a high education population

The growing use of new technologies permit now to collect data cheaper and quickly. In this paper we present data of longitudinal survey on graduates carried on at Pisa University. The results obtained from this data show that graduates are moving from paper to web. Stepwise logistic regression permits to assess characteristics of Web vs paper respondents Diogene: a longitudinal survey on Pisa graduates A survey on Pisa University graduates, named Diogene, was designed (17) for three main purposes: Job Placement Office of Pisa University; evaluation of students satisfaction; scientific research about occupational and educational careers after degree. The most relevant aspects of Diogene survey can be briefly described. First, Diogene is a total survey: all graduates in population are invited to adhere. It is a longitudinal survey: each graduate in population is followed for almost three years after degree; each graduate in population is asked directly from University clerks to compile his/her first questionnaire at graduation time: they receive a paper questionnaire and detailed instructions; all graduates are reminded to compile questionnaire by mail or by e-mail (more recently) after 1, 2 and 3 years from degree; no other remind is programmed, but each graduate can update his/her data at request. Actually graduates can access to Web questionnaire on Diogene’s Website http://www.unipi.diogene.it through a correct indication of student code number and password. All data are stored in a complex database, obtained merging administrative data (for all graduates) and responses to questionnaires (only for respondents). Diogene’s database contains actually (June 2002) data of about 28,000 graduates (from 1995 to May 2002). The longitudinal survey started in 1997 with a mail questionnaire submitted to 1995 and 1996 graduates. Paper questionnaire were compiled by graduates from October 1997 to March 1998. From April 1998 it was decided to collect data also by Web, leaving each graduate free to choose between paper and web mode whenever he/she compiles a questionnaire.