A unique, new panellist website

We've created a fab new panellist website for our community of 120,000 students and young people. Members can now contribute articles, comment on- and 'like' contributions from their peers, watch videos and, check student and youth news (as well as checking points, updating profiles, etc).

You can read the story of the site here, but in short, it was exclusively built, designed and (is still being) edited by our talented panellists. Our chief bloggers include Aaron Porter (former president of the NUS), Jake Richards and Elise Slee. They are all brilliant young panellists making their way in graduate careers.

A note on fieldwork quality

What role should incentives play in online research? Our managing director, Ben Marks, recently presented a paper entitled Peanuts and Monkeys at the ASC's annual conference, arguing that some online panel companies may have pushed the goodwill of their panellists too far. Arcane points-based reward schemes that end up giving a credit to the value of a sip of Starbucks coffee are simply unfair and will never attract 'normal' people. The paper contrasts what is all too often the norm - low and unfair incentives with our simple and generous incentive scheme; 1 point =£1 in Amazon (or shopping) vouchers per short survey and £2 for a longer one. It costs more but we get excellent response rates (~30%+), great retention and great 'survey behaviour'. We recently found our panellists were half as likely to straight-line through grids (don't get me started on grids! We do try and resist them at all costs). Do you have a view on survey incentives? Please leave a comment on our company blog.

OpinionPanel sponsoring City University

City University runs one of the most highly regarded postgraduate journalism schools in the UK. Alumuni include Gary Younge (The Guardian), Sophie Raworth (BBC News), and Robert Chote (Director, Institute of Fiscal Studies). OpinionPanel has agreed to sponsor an annual scholarship of £1000 for the most creative postgraduate student. This year's prize will be awarded tonight! We work with the brightest young people on our panel every day. And we work with superb universities every day. It felt right that we support both with an annual award.

About OpinionPanel

OpinionPanel is the independent research business which represents the views of students and young people to social and market researchers, policy makers and recruiters. We own and manage the UK's largest specialist panel of students before, during and after their time at university: The Future Panel, The Student Panel, The Graduate Panel. Our services run from basic sample-only provision to detailed full-service projects incorporating qualitative and quantitative methods.

Contacts

Ben Marks
Managing Director
benmarks@opinionpanel.co.uk

Tatenda Musesengwa
Client Development Manager (Panel Services)
tatenda@opinionpanel.co.uk

Becky Lewis
Research Director (Custom Research and Omnibus)
becky@opinionpanel.co.uk

Kyla Steehart
Higher Education Research
kyla@opinionpanel.co.uk

General tel. 020 7288 8789

OpinionPanel Ltd
Highbury Crescent Rooms
70 Ronalds Road
London N5 1XA