SoundRocket

Evaluating Nonresponse Bias in a Longitudinal Study of Healthy Adults Receiving Genome Sequencing

Evaluating Nonresponse Bias in a Longitudinal Study of Healthy Adults Receiving Genome Sequencing

by | Dec 12, 2017

We know your survey is exciting and will divulge important findings; you know your survey is exciting and will divulge important findings. But darn those who don’t know this and so don’t participate. Or worse – those who do know this, but choose not to participate for some other reason. Their nonresponse can create uncertainty in how accurate our survey results actually are.  If only we could survey robots or well-trained dogs who followed our instructions instead of people!

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Five Ways to Use Historical Survey Data to Improve Quality in a Survey

Five Ways to Use Historical Survey Data to Improve Quality in a Survey

by | Jun 15, 2016

When you find yourself surveying a population where significant information is known about those who are in the study prior to them completing the survey (such as in a longitudinal survey, a panel, or when the respondents are part of a known group such as a membership organization), such data can be used as part of the survey instrument design.  

While it is tempting to do whenever possible, when using such data, care should be given to how and when it is used…

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Six Common Mistakes in Survey Research

by | Jul 27, 2015

Survey research is a part of the scientific process – and even a science on its own.  So why do researchers abandon the science when they implement their studies?  An astronomer would not go to the hobby store to buy a telescope to study the galaxy.  A geneticist would never purchase non-sterile test tubes from an unknown source to capture saliva samples from research subjects.  So why do social scientists routinely treat their own data collection tools this way?   

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