Survey Design and Measurement
In an environment of increased awareness of quality issues and concern for declining response rates both nationally and internationally, there is a clear necessity to develop and improve the evidence base around techniques which may be employed to maximise response and enhance data quality.
The ESRC has responded to this challenge by funding six projects under the Survey Design and Measurement (SDM) initiative. These six projects address a range of important issues including, but not limited to: non-response bias, the use of mixed modes, the application of new technologies in the survey process, household definitions and structures, and the validity and reliability of survey questions. Additionally, a further project funded by the ESRC but not under the SDM initiative is included within the SDM initiative 'umbrella'. This is the project led by Gabriele Durrant at the University of Southampton entitled "Hierarchical analysis of unit non-response in sample surveys". Additional details, summaries of progress, links to research outputs and project web sites can be found in the list below:
Understanding Non-Response and Reducing Non-Response BiasProfessor Peter Lynn, ISER
Summary of progress Mixed Modes and Measurement Error
Ms Gerry Nicolaas, NatCen, Survey Methods Unit
Summary of progress The Commodity Chain of the Household: from Survey Design to Policy Planning
Dr Ernestina Coast, London School of Economics
Summary of progress The Use of Scanner Technology for Collecting Expenditure Data in Mixed-Mode Social Science Surveys
Ms Zoe Oldfield, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Summary of progress Predicting and Preventing Non-Response in Cohort Studies
Professor Ian Plewis, Institute of Education, University of London
Summary of progress
Project web site
Solving the Problem of Attrition in Longitudinal Surveys
Professor John Bynner, NatCen
Summary of progress Hierarchical Analysis of Unit Non-response in Sample Surveys
Dr Gabriele Durrant, University of Southampton
Summary of progress
The SDM projects are co-ordinated by Professor Patrick Sturgis of the Survey Resources Network (SRN) and National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM). On 28 October 2008 the seven teams met at the Institute for Fiscal Studies to discuss strategies to co-ordinate the dissemination of results from the SDM projects. Further SDM events are planned for the autumn of 2009 and 2010.
