We employ the latest guidelines for online sampling. Our call center adheres to the American Association for Public Opinion Research's best practices guidelines.

For example, we make 15 attempts for each randomly selected telephone number. Our standard minimum response rate is 60% and we randomly select respondents within a household. All groups of questions are randomized to avoid order effects. Questions and questionnaire design reflect the latest methodological guidelines.

postnet
One of empiricom's most recent projects involved the implementation of its multi-method dual track survey to examine online user attitudes, opinions and behaviors for an e-newspaper client. The dual-track survey combines a random statewide telephone survey of 1,000 respondents with a Web survey of visitors (blocking repeat ISP addresses).

By combining survey techniques, empiricom is able to present the client with a random sample of non-Web users, online users and online subscribers. The survey will provide the client with:

• Editorial content for stories online and in the print newspaper about the U.S. Presidential Campaign 2000 and its community's views of the most important issues facing the country;
• The ability to draw comparisons from the data among the political views of non-Web users, online users and online e-newspaper subscribers;
• Opinions from e-newspaper subscribers concerning their preferences for receiving news online;
• Data on the experience level of online users by demographics;
• Data to cultivate online newspaper user habits similar to the newspaper daily habit.

For the second administration of this three-part study, empiricom is working closely with the newspaper to provide for e-mail invitations to a sampling frame of the e-newspaper's registered users, affording a comparison of methods for the second and third online cross-sections.

The complete study offers three cross-sectional surveys with three distinct sampling methods to be completed in fall 2000.

ipr/ketchum grant
With funding from Ketchum PR's New York research department, an empiricom analyst will develop a prototype online survey research tool to measure the strength of online relationships between users and online companies. The tool will enable companies to better annuitize user loyalty and habit formation over the long term.

Theoretically-based in semantic linguistics, the research tool has been conceptualized for easy application to measure the rules that govern online relationships, as well as allowing for determination of online relationship strength. Practical implementation of the tool in online survey form will allow e-newspapers, Web directories, Web portals and Web sites to measure and adjust the strength of the relationships they have established with their users.

The tool will be completed by February 2001.