The speed, power, flexibility, multimedia capabilities, enhanced data quality, and reach of the Internet make online research an ideal data collection method especially well suited for child research. We take full advantage of the capabilities, of the Internet to dramatically enhance the child's comprehension, attention, interest and involvement with the interview.

Online technologies offer special advantages in child research and in general result in better data quality for these reasons:

1) Greater respondent attention--they choose when to complete the interview and are more focused. They can take as much time as they need and are not rushed by an impatient adult interviewer.

2) The administration of the interview is precisely controlled (random or systematic rotation, error trapping and forced answering, single-response and multiple-response controls, range/mathematical checks, blocks backing up/skipping over questions, etc.)

3) Facilitates complex questionnaire design and skip patterns and selection rules (easily accommodates algebraic logic, comprehensive Boolean skip and branching logic, hidden skip logic, variable piping, etc.).

4) Eliminates interviewer error and bias.

5) Multimedia may be integrated into the survey.

6) Open-ended questions are richer because response to open-ended questions can be captured verbatim without the filter of an interviewer.

7) Visual impact--can design screen layouts, background colors, font types, colors, and sizes to suit the survey.

8) Keypunch error is eliminated.

All of these capabilities result in more accurate and better quality data, and provide a smoother interview flow. Additionally, online survey technologies provide these other benefits:

1. Faster, less costly research gathering and reporting.
2. Real-time reports are available during fielding.
3. Flexibility and control.
4. Compatible with most IT infrastructures.
5. Reduced printing costs.
6. Ability to integrate with other research techniques such as telephone and mail surveys.
7. Online reporting of research findings/information distribution.
8. Security--encryption, password protection, etc.