摘要：This paper examines the effectiveness of several techniques for improving response rates to mail surveys: preliminary notification by letter or by telephone, and follow-ups using letters or postcards. The data was obtained from 15 articles published in business, psychology and sociology journals between 1960 and 1982. A meta-analysis of the data indicated that higher response rates were achieved when preliminary notification was given than when it was not, and a telephone call was a more effective form of preliminary notification than a letter. Higher response rates were achieved when a follow-up letter or postcard was sent as a reminder than when no follow-up was used, and a follow-up letter was more effective than a follow-up postcard. Whether a single follow-up reminder is more, or less, effective than a preliminary notification remains to be determined
