For each of the surveys, the Committee employed a method known as the Total Design Method (TDM). This method has been developed by Don Dillman and has been successful in securing high response rates from general and special samples. Dillman's method is generally regarding as the standard for mail survey's in the social sciences.
Dillman explains the goal of this method as follows:
The appeal of the TDM is based on convincing people first that a problem exists that is of importance to a group with which they identify, and second, that their help is needed to find a solution. The researcher is portrayed as a reasonable person who, in light of the complexity of the problem, is making a reasonable request for help, and, if forthcoming, such help will contribute to the solution of that problem. The exchange the researcher seeks to establish is broader than that between him or herself and the questionnaire recipient, that is, if you do something for me, I'll do something for you. Rather, the researcher is identified as an intermediary between the person asked to contribute to the solution of an important problem and certain steps that might help solve it. Thus the reward to the respondents derives from the feeling that they have done something important to help solve a problem faced by them, their friends, or members of a group including community, state, or nation, whose activities are important to them. (1978: 162-3)
Specifically, the Committee, with the assistance of the staff of the State Bar of Texas, employed the following steps:
(1) All members of the sample were sent a personalized, advance-notice letter. The purpose of this letter was to tell people that they had been selected for the survey and they would be receiving a questionnaire. This letter help to identify the purpose of the survey and establish its legitimacy. For the surveys of defense attorneys and prosecutors, this letter was written by the Presiding Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, Michael J. McCormick. A similar letter was used in the survey of judges, however, it was signed by both Michael J. McCormick, Presiding Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, and Thomas R. Phillips, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas.
(2) Approximately one week after the advance letter was mailed, all members of the sample receive a cover letter with instructions, the questionnaire with return postage prepared, and a postage prepaid postcard used to verify their reply and request an executive summary of the survey results. In all cases, the replies to the surveys were anonymous.
The cover letter for the survey of defense attorneys was signed by then State Bar of Texas President David J. Beck. The cover letter for the survey of prosecutors was signed by Tom Krampitz, Executive Director of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association. Finally, Richard Pena, President of the State Bar of Texas signed the letter urging judges to reply to their survey.
(3) Approximately one week after the questionnaire was mailed, a follow-up postcard was sent to all members of the sample. The postcard thanked those that have already responded and requested a response from those who have not yet responded.
(4) Two weeks after the reminder postcard was mailed, a new cover letter, questionnaire, and return postcard was to those who had not responded. This letter, in each case signed by Allan K. Butcher Co-Chair of the Committee on the Provision of the Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters conveyed the message that the Committee had not heard from the respondent and their comments were important to the success of the survey.
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This page was last updated on 02/12/99.