Are representative internet surveys possible?

This paper discusses in detail issues dealing with the technical aspects of designing and conducting surveys. It is intended for an audience of survey methodologists.

Many types of Web surveys are not based on scientific sampling and do not represent any well-defined population. Even when Web surveys are based on a general sample, it is not known whether they yield reliable or valid results. One way to test the adequacy of Web surveys is to conduct experiments comparing Web surveys with well-established, traditional survey methods. One such test was performed by comparing the 2000 General Social Survey of the National Opinion Research Center with a Knowledge Networks Web survey.