Unit of Observation
A unit of observation is an object about which information is collected. Researchers base conclusions on information that is collected and analyzed, so using defined units of observation in a survey or other study helps to clarify the reasonable conclusions that can be drawn from the information collected.
An example of a unit of observation is an individual person. Other examples include a family or a neighborhood.
A survey or other type of study can involve many different levels of units of observation. For example, the U.S. Census 2000 used a hierarchical arrangement to describe the units of observation about which it collected information. These units range from "United States" to "region" to "census block."
Some researchers distinguish between the terms unit of observation and unit of ...
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Reader's Guide
Ethical Issues In Survey Research
Measurement - Interviewer
Measurement - Mode
Measurement - Questionnaire
Measurement - Respondent
Measurement - Miscellaneous
Nonresponse - Item-Level
Nonresponse - Outcome Codes And Rates
Nonresponse - Unit-Level
Operations - General
Operations - In-Person Surveys
Operations - Interviewer-Administered Surveys
Operations - Mall Surveys
Operations - Telephone Surveys
Political And Election Polling
Public Opinion
Sampling, Coverage, And Weighting
Survey Industry
Survey Statistics
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