What is a disadvantage of online surveys?

• A. They guarantee a representative sample.
• B. They require more time to collect data than paper surveys.
• C. They may exclude participants without internet access or devices.
• D. They always produce higher data quality than other methods.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that online surveys can create coverage gaps because they rely on people having internet access and a device to respond. This means you might miss groups who don’t have reliable internet, don’t own a suitable device, or have limited data, such as some older people, low‑income households, or residents in areas with poor connectivity. Because these groups are underrepresented, the results may not accurately reflect the whole population, limiting how generalizable the findings are.

As a contrast, the other statements aren’t correct. Online surveys don’t automatically guarantee a representative sample, they typically don’t take more time than paper surveys (often they’re faster), and they don’t always produce higher data quality—there can be issues like rushed responses, misinterpretation of questions, or nonresponse bias.