Nonresponse bias analyses at the National Center for Education Statistics - ARCHIVED

This paper discusses in detail issues dealing with the technical aspects of designing and conducting surveys. It is intended for an audience of survey methodologists.

In surveys with low response rates, non-response bias can be a major concern. While it is not always possible to measure the actual bias due to non-response, there are different approaches that help identify potential sources of non-response bias. In the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), surveys with a response rate lower than 70% must conduct a non-response bias analysis. This paper discusses the different approaches to non-response bias analyses using examples from NCES.