A welcome and much-needed addition to the literature on survey data quality in social research, McNabb's book examines the most common sources of nonsampling error: frame error; measurement error; response error, nonresponse error, and interviewer error. Offering the only comprehensive and non-technical treatment available, the book's focus on controlling error shows readers how to eliminate the opportunity for error to occur, and features revealing examples of past and current efforts to control the incidence and effects of nonsampling error. Most importantly, it gives readers the tools they need to understand, identify, address, and prevent the most prevalent and difficult-to-control types of survey errors.

Response Error

Response error and frame error do not relate to how a survey is administered to respondents; they relate to who the respondents are. Hence, these errors are conceptually distinct from measurement error. … Measurement error may well be just one contributor to overall error or total error. Thus, focusing on measurement error while neglecting other types of error is an important concern. [Response error] may well overwhelm other types of error.

Madhu, Viswanathan, 2005

Broadly speaking, response error results from one or more of these events in the survey process: (1) measuring of the wrong thing, (2) incorrect or biased measurement, or (3) variability due to poorly designed survey instruments (Datka & Frankel, 1991). Measurement of the wrong things and poorly designed survey instruments are ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles