What subject lines and messages in an e-mailed invitation maximize cooperation for a web survey? Answering this question is ever more important as survey researchers increasingly turn to web surveys to reduce costs. We test respondents’ preferences for subject lines and messages in an e-mailed invitation to participate in a Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. Findings suggest that respondents prefer informative and straightforward subject lines that reference the purpose and the sponsor of the survey. Brief and uninformative subject lines should be avoided. In the body of the e-mail, respondents prefer messages that expand on the study’s purpose and usefulness and extend a guarantee of confidentiality. Messages that encourage participation for the sake of the study’s representativeness or accuracy are unpersuasive to potential respondents. Few differences emerged in preferences among demographic subgroups.

中文翻译：

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哪些主题行和消息可以提高对 Web 调查的电子邮件邀请的响应？

电子邮件邀请中的哪些主题行和消息可以最大限度地促进网络调查的合作？随着调查研究人员越来越多地转向网络调查以降低成本，回答这个问题变得越来越重要。我们在电子邮件邀请中测试受访者对主题行和消息的偏好，以参与医疗保健提供者和系统的消费者评估调查。调查结果表明，受访者更喜欢参考调查目的和发起人的信息丰富且直接的主题行。应避免简短和无信息的主题行。在电子邮件的正文中，受访者更喜欢扩展研究目的和有用性并提供保密保证的信息。为了研究的代表性或准确性而鼓励参与的信息对潜在受访者没有说服力。人口统计亚组之间的偏好几乎没有差异。