Publication: A Note on Mechanisms Leading to Lower Data Quality of Late or Reluctant Respondents
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Date
2013
Authors
Kreuter, Frauke
Müller, Gerrit
Trappmann, Mark
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sage Publ.
Abstract
Survey methodologists worry about trade-offs between nonresponse and measurement error. Past findings indicate that respondents brought into the survey late provide low-quality data. The diminished data quality is often attributed to lack of motivation. Quality is often measured through internal indicators and rarely through true scores. Using administrative data for validation purposes, this article documents increased measurement error as a function of recruitment effort for a large-scale employment survey in Germany. In this case study, the reduction in measurement quality of an important target variable is largely caused by differential measurement error in subpopulations and respective shifts in sample composition, as well as increased cognitive burden through the increased length of recall periods among later respondents. Only small portions of the relationship could be attributed to a lack of motivation among late or reluctant respondents.
Description
Keywords
nonresponse, measurement error, recall error, fieldwork