Why Participation Matters and How to Increase Responses for Your Next Survey or Focus Group
Reaching Enough Participants
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Population size
Everyone who meets your eligibility criteria.
Example: You invite all 150 clients enrolled in SJCG’s X program to complete a survey
Reaching Enough Participants
hostedbytheCentreforAppliedHealthResearch
Population size
Everyone who meets your eligibility criteria.
Example: You invite all 150 clients enrolled in SJCG’s X program to complete a survey
Sample size
The number of people who actually participate
Example: 40 eligible clients complete your survey
Reaching Enough Participants
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Population size
Sample size Response rate
Everyone who meets your eligibility criteria. The number of people who actually participate The sample size divided by the population size
Example: You invite all 150 clients enrolled in SJCG’s X program to complete a survey
Example: 40 eligible clients complete your survey
Example: 40/150 = 27%
Reaching Enough Participants
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Why Sample Size Matters
Your sample size should be large enough to reflect the population size. A very small sample (e.g., 3 out of 150, reflecting a response rate of 2%) is unlikely to represent the broader group accurately.
Reaching Enough Participants
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How Many Participants You Need Depends on Your Specific Survey or Focus Group
The appropriate sample size will vary based on factors such as the method used (quantitative, such as surveys, or qualitative, such as focus groups or interviews), the study’s goals, available resources, and the population of interest. Once you ’ ve identified your projects’ characteristics, then you can start looking at rules of thumb, or in some cases, conduct a power analysis before recruitment.
Reaching Enough Participants
hostedbytheCentreforAppliedHealthResearch
How Many Participants You Need Depends on Your Specific Survey or Focus Group
The appropriate sample size will vary based on factors such as the method used (quantitative, such as surveys, or qualitative, such as focus groups or interviews), the study’s goals, available resources, and the population of interest. Once you ’ ve identified your projects’ characteristics, then you can start looking at rules of thumb, or in some cases, conduct a power analysis before recruitment. If you’re unsure how many people are enough, CAHR can help you figure it out.
Reaching Enough Participants
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Takeaway of Why Sample Size Matters
The larger your sample relative to the population, typically the more reliable your results.
For example, surveying 90 out of 150 clients (60% response rate) gives a much better sense of overall sentiment than surveying just 3 clients out of the available 150 (2% response rate).
Reaching Enough Participants
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Real-Life Example: A SJCG Evaluation Project – Client & Resident Satisfaction Survey
At St. Joseph’s Care Group, the annual Client & Resident Satisfaction Survey is an organizationwide evaluation survey designed to assess satisfaction with SJCG’s client and resident programs and services.
Reaching Enough Participants
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Real-Life Example: A SJCG Evaluation Project – Client & Resident Satisfaction Survey
At St. Joseph’s Care Group, the annual Client & Resident Satisfaction Survey is an organizationwide evaluation survey designed to assess satisfaction with SJCG’s client and resident programs and services.
Based on these project’s characteristics, SJCG’s Client & Resident Satisfaction Survey aims for a minimum response rate of 60%.
Reaching Enough Participants
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Real-Life Example: A SJCG Evaluation Project – Client & Resident Satisfaction Survey
What This Means to Get a 60% Response Rate Capturing a True Picture of Experiences
Population size: 2,500* SJCG clients and residents
Response rate target (60%): At least 1,500* (of the eligible 2,500*) SJCG clients and residents complete the survey
*Illustrative Example Only; Not Actual SJCG Numbers
Reaching Enough Participants
hostedbytheCentreforAppliedHealthResearch
Real-Life Example: A SJCG Evaluation Project – Client & Resident Satisfaction Survey
What This Means to Get a 60% Response Rate Capturing a True Picture of Experiences
Population size: 2,500 SJCG clients and residents
Response rate target (60%): At least 1,500 (of the eligible 2,500) SJCG clients and residents complete the survey
*Illustrative Example Only; Not Actual SJCG Numbers
Reaching at least a 60% response rate helps ensure feedback reflects the experiences of all SJCG clients and residents, not just those who choose to respond.
Reaching Enough Participants
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Risks of Low Participation: When “Some Feedback” Can be Harmful
to Decision-Making
Some may think that even getting a small number of participants is better than none, but that’s not always the case. When only a few participants respond to a survey or join a focus group, the results may not reflect the experiences of everyone in your targeted population. Making decisions based on limited feedback can lead to unbeneficial changes, or even create unintended problems.
Reaching Enough Participants
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10 Tips to Encourage Participation in Surveys or Focus Groups
Now that we have a better understanding of both the benefits of high participation rates and the costs of low engagement in SJCG surveys or focus groups, the following recommendations can help maximize participation. These strategies are informed by Sheila B. Robinson and Kimberly F. Leonard’s (2024) book Designing Quality Survey Questions.
Reaching Enough Participants
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1. Make Participation Engaging and Relevant
2. Keep It Concise and Respect Participants’ Time: As a general rule of thumb, only include questions that will directly inform decision-making. If a question does not serve a clear purpose in the decision making process, it should be removed.
Reaching Enough Participants
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10 Tips to Encourage Participation in Surveys or Focus Groups
3. Use Clear, Easy-to-Understand Questions: Avoid common survey design errors such as multi-barreled questions (i.e., asking more than one thing in a question). Learn more about common survey question errors in SJCG’s R&E Month in Week 3’s topic, “Designing Better Surveys.”
Reaching Enough Participants
4. Plan Administration Carefully in Advance
5. Develop a Communication Strategy
Reaching Enough Participants
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4. Plan Administration Carefully in Advance
5. Develop a Communication Strategy
6. Consider the Messenger(s): In addition to the research or evaluation team, identify other individuals to encourage participation. Messages coming from leadership, supervisors, or wellregarded peers can significantly increase credibility and response rates.
Reaching Enough Participants
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10 Tips to Encourage Participation in Surveys or Focus Groups
7. Craft Thoughtful, Compelling Invitations to Participate
8. Make Participation Convenient and Accessible
9. Offer Incentives: Provide appropriate incentives or recognition to encourage participation. Incentives not only motivate individuals, but also signal that their time and input are valued.
Reaching Enough Participants
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10 Tips to Encourage Participation in Surveys or Focus Groups
10. Send Reminders: Follow up with participants to encourage completion. Research suggests sending 2–3 reminders is effective, though some contexts may benefit from additional follow-ups. Reminders should be polite, and spaced appropriately to avoid overwhelming participants.
Reaching Enough Participants
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Bonus Tip! Encourage Participation in Surveys or Focus Groups
Reaching Enough Participants
hostedbytheCentreforAppliedHealthResearch
Bonus Tip! Encourage Participation
in
Surveys or Focus Groups
The Centre for Applied Health Research (CAHR) highlights one bonus tip: report back to participants on outcomes.
Reaching Enough Participants
hostedbytheCentreforAppliedHealthResearch
Bonus Tip! Encourage Participation in Surveys or Focus Groups
The Centre for Applied Health Research (CAHR) highlights one bonus tip: report back to participants on outcomes.
Collecting feedback is not enough; participants need to know how their input was used.
Clear follow-up communication shows that SJCG listens, acts when possible, and is transparent when it cannot. That level of accountability builds trust and encourages continued participation in future engagement activities.
