What Makes Scientists Respond to Surveys? Our Latest Study Looks at the Power of Appeal

Survey research is a key tool for understanding how academic scientists think about policy, ethics, research practices, and more. But reaching this expert group—and encouraging them to participate—is no simple task.

At SciOPS (Scientist Opinion Panel Survey), we’re committed to gathering the perspectives of science professionals in an accessible, reliable, and representative way. To do that effectively, we also need to understand what drives survey participation among academic scientists.

Our latest study takes a closer look at this question by testing different types of survey invitation appeals—specifically, information and representation appeals—and their impact on response rates from STEM faculty at top U.S. research universities.

Based on an analysis of six survey experiments conducted through SciOPS, we found that the effectiveness of invitation appeals is highly context-dependent and varies based on several factors: 

• Topic sensitivity and relevance: Polarized or highly relevant topics demand different appeal strategies than neutral or low-stakes ones.
• Recipient characteristics: Career stage, prior interaction with survey administrators, and a sense of community affiliation all affect response likelihood.
  
  
• Appeal framing:
  • Self-representation appeals (e.g., “Your voice matters”) are most effective when targeting recipients with low community affiliation, especially on polarizing topics.
    
    
  • Concise information appeals tend to work better when the survey topic is less relevant, especially for individuals with limited time.
  • Detailed information is more effective for highly relevant or controversial topics, and for first-time invitees unfamiliar with the panel.

Academic scientists are both extremely knowledgeable and extremely busy. Tailoring outreach strategies to increase engagement is not just about boosting response rates—it’s essential for producing high-quality, representative data that informs public understanding of science and expert opinion.

This research helps refine our outreach methods at SciOPS and contributes to broader knowledge on survey methodology within academic communities. As we continue to expand science opinion data collection, understanding the "why" behind participation will help ensure we're amplifying voices from across the scientific landscape.

📊 Want to dive deeper into the research? 

Read the full study here ➝ https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326331