Science and survey management

Articles and reports: 12-001-X202100100006

Description:

It is now possible to manage surveys using statistical models and other tools that can be applied in real time. This paper focuses on three developments that reflect the attempt to take a more scientific approach to the management of survey field work: 1) the use of responsive and adaptive designs to reduce nonresponse bias, other sources of error, or costs; 2) optimal routing of interviewer travel to reduce costs; and 3) rapid feedback to interviewers to reduce measurement error. The article begins by reviewing experiments and simulation studies examining the effectiveness of responsive and adaptive designs. These studies suggest that these designs can produce modest gains in the representativeness of survey samples or modest cost savings, but can also backfire. The next section of the paper examines efforts to provide interviewers with a recommended route for their next trip to the field. The aim is to bring interviewers’ field work into closer alignment with research priorities while reducing travel time. However, a study testing this strategy found that interviewers often ignore such instructions. Then, the paper describes attempts to give rapid feedback to interviewers, based on automated recordings of their interviews. Interviewers often read questions in ways that affect respondents’ answers; correcting these problems quickly yielded marked improvements in data quality. All of the methods are efforts to replace the judgment of interviewers, field supervisors, and survey managers with statistical models and scientific findings.

Issue Number: 2021001
Author(s): Tourangeau, Roger

Main Product: Survey Methodology

FormatRelease dateMore information
HTMLJune 24, 2021
PDFJune 24, 2021

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