Pamela Campanelli - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Pamela Campanelli

![Research paper thumbnail of An Application of Rasch Analysis to Questionnaire Design: Using Vignettes to Study the Meaning of `Work' in the Current Population Survey](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/109128518/thumbnails/1.jpg)

Research paper thumbnail of The Use of Respondent and Interviewer Debriefing Studies as a Way to Study Response Error in Survey Data

The Statistician, 1991

Page 1. The Statistician (1991) 40, pp. 253-264 253 SESSION 8A MEASUREMENT ISSUES The use of resp... more Page 1. The Statistician (1991) 40, pp. 253-264 253 SESSION 8A MEASUREMENT ISSUES The use of respondent and interviewer debriefing studies as a way to study response error in survey data* PAMELA С CAMPANELLI ...

Research paper thumbnail of Context Effects for Census Measures of Race and Hispanic Origin

Public Opinion Quarterly, 1990

This paper reports on the results of a split-ballot experiment conducted in 1987 to test alternat... more This paper reports on the results of a split-ballot experiment conducted in 1987 to test alternative versions of the decennial census long form. Two forms were randomly assigned and self-administered in group sessions involving a total of 515 respondents. The order of race and Hispanic origin items was experimentally manipulated. The standard long form asks race, then Hispanic origin. The experimental form reversed the order of the items in order to reduce perceived redundancy, and to create a more restricted frame of reference for the race item. The objectives of the context manipulation were (1) to reduce item nonresponse for the Hispanic origin item, and (2) to reduce reporting of "Other race" by Hispanics in the race item. Objective (1) was met. Objective (2) was met for Hispanics born in a U. S. State, but not for immigrants. The results are interpreted as reflecting a process of acculturation which affects how Hispanic respondents apply U. S. racial categories "White" and "Black" in the census.-2-The survey methodology literature contains much evidence of the effect of question sequencing on response to questions. This work has, in large part, involved attitude items (see Schuman and Presser, 1981; Turner and Martin, 1984). The effect of question order may derive from the context invoked by prior questions, which may influence respondents' frame of reference or suggest differing interpretations of the question. Context effects can also operate on quasi-factual and factual items, but research in this area has been limited. The potential for this type of effect is especially pronounced when the concept being measured is somewhat unclear, and the respondent really isn't sure what is being asked. In this paper, we explore the effect of question sequence on responses to two potentially ambiguous items on the decennial census questionnaire: race and Hispanic origin. The Measurement of Race Despite its familiarity, the concept of race is not a simple one. Racial classifications, both popular and scientific, are based on a mixture of principles and criteria, including national origin, tribal membership, religion, language, minority status, physical characteristics, and behavior. The criteria and categories for racial classification vary among cultures and over time. In the United States, we are accustomed to think in terms of two major races: Black and White. In this country, we tend to treat race as an objective, fixed characteristic of a person which is biologically inherited. This meaning of race is so ingrained that it may come as a surprise to learn that other cultures have very different conceptions of race (Marshall, 1968; Harris, 1968). For example, the racial categories recognized in Brazil are not the

Research paper thumbnail of Revisiting "yes/no" versus "check all that apply": Results from a mixed modes experiment

Survey research methods, Dec 4, 2015

The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) ... more The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) compares "yes/no" questions to "check all that apply" questions. They conclude that the "yes/no" format is preferable as it reflects deeper processing of survey questions. Smyth et al. (2008) found that the "yes/no" format performed similarly across telephone and web modes. In this paper we replicate their research and extend it by including a comparison with face-toface in addition to telephone and web and by using probability samples of the general adult population. A cognitive interviewing follow-up was used to explore the quantitative findings. Our results suggest there are times when the "yes/no" format may not perform similarly across modes and that there may be factors which limit the quality of answers.

Research paper thumbnail of The Survey Coach

eries es www.iser.essex.ac.uk ww.iser.essex.ac.uk w.iser.essex.ac.uk iser.essex.ac.uk er.essex.ac... more eries es www.iser.essex.ac.uk ww.iser.essex.ac.uk w.iser.essex.ac.uk iser.essex.ac.uk er.essex.ac.uk.essex.ac.uk ssex.ac.uk ex.ac.uk.ac.uk c.uk uk

Research paper thumbnail of Can you hear me knocking? an investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnographic methods in the development of census procedures for enumerating the homeless

Urban anthropology, 1991

The use of ethnographic methods to estimate the number of homeless persons in the United States i... more The use of ethnographic methods to estimate the number of homeless persons in the United States is explored. The authors describe how "ethnographic methods were integrated with survey procedures in a 1989 Census Bureau pilot test of an experimental daytime count of homeless persons in Baltimore, MD. We demonstrated that ethnographic techniques do not have to be merely supplemental to survey research, but can play an integral part in shaping the entire procedure. Ethnographic data proved valuable for choosing sites, designing questionnaires and developing new interview approaches, and have since proven equally useful in interpreting the test results."

Research paper thumbnail of The Survey Coach

Non-technical summary Surveys can be presented to participants in a variety of ways (survey modes... more Non-technical summary Surveys can be presented to participants in a variety of ways (survey modes). This includes interviewing face-to-face or via telephone, or a self-completion questionnaire on paper or on the web (internet). Previous research has shown that levels of survey participation differ by mode, but less is known about how participants ’ answers to survey questions differ by mode. Knowing more about the latter is important because researchers are increasingly including several different modes in the same survey and it is a problem if the answers given by participants in different modes are not totally comparable. An experiment was carried out to look in more detail at mode differences in survey questions. Participants in a face-to-face survey of the general public were invited to take part in a follow-up experimental survey and were randomly assigned to three mode groups: telephone, face to face and web using the same questionnaire. After excluding eligible people who did...

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the Impact of Survey Introductions

In July of 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research fund... more In July of 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research funded by a grant from the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to take an in-depth look at the role of interviewers in the survey nonresponse process. This 18 month long programme is divided into 3 sub-projects and is in cooperation with the ESRC Centre for Micro-Social Change at Essex University and the NOP Research Group. This paper describes what has been done to date for sub-project 3. This subproject focuses on the initial doorstep interaction between interviewer and address residents. Although typically lasting less than a minute, it is this interaction which can be crucial in determining whether or not the prospective respondent will agree to cooperate.

Research paper thumbnail of A Service of zbw Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre for Economics Mixed modes and measurement error: Using cognitive interviewing to explore the results of a mixed modes experiment ISER Working Paper Series, Mixed Modes and

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwe... more Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in Non-technical summary Surveys can be presented to participants in a variety of ways (survey modes). This includes interviewing face-to-face or via telephone, or a self-completion questionnaire on paper or on the web (internet). Previous research has shown that levels of survey participation differ by mode, but less is known about how participants' answers to survey questions differ by mode. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Abstract PO-070: Psychometric properties and analysis of the masculinity barriers to medical care scale among African American, Indigenous, and White men

Behavioral And Social Science: Other

Research paper thumbnail of Revisiting "yes/no" versus "check all that apply": Results from a mixed modes experiment

The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) ... more The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) compares "yes/no" questions to "check all that apply" questions. They conclude that the "yes/no" format is preferable as it reflects deeper processing of survey questions. Smyth et al. (2008) found that the "yes/no" format performed similarly across telephone and web modes. In this paper we replicate their research and extend it by including a comparison with face-to-face in addition to telephone and web and by using probability samples of the general adult population. A cognitive interviewing follow-up was used to explore the quantitative findings. Our results suggest there are times when the "yes/no" format may not perform similarly across modes and that there may be factors which limit the quality of answers.

Research paper thumbnail of Interviewers , Interviewer Continuity , and Panel Survey Nonresponse 1

It is widely known that in practice, different interviewers have different response rates, though... more It is widely known that in practice, different interviewers have different response rates, though there has been no systematic examination of whether this is because of differences among interviewers or differences among those areas allocated to the interviewers ('area' effects), or both. Furthermore, the conventional wisdom in survey research suggests that it is advisable to have the same interviewers return to the same respondents in order to maintain good response rates in longitudinal surveys, though once again there has been very little documented experimental research to support this. This paper makes use of the interpenetrated sample design experiment in Wave 2 of the British Household Panel Study (BHPS) (i) to explore the effects of interviewers' background characteristics and years of experience on response rates, (ii) to identify and estimate the differential effects of interviewers on response rates and compare the magnitudes of area and interviewer effects, and (iii) to investigate the impact of 'interviewer continuity'. The analysis is facilitated by the use of cross-classified multilevel modelling. The paper also looks at the issue of interviewer continuity qualitatively, through the impressions of the interviewers themselves.

Research paper thumbnail of Colm O ' Muircheartaigh ( London School of Economics , UK ) and

The interviewer is seen as one of the principal sources of error in data collected from structure... more The interviewer is seen as one of the principal sources of error in data collected from structured face-to-face interviews. Survey statisticians have expressed the effect in formal statistical models of two kinds. In the analysis of variance (ANOVA) framework the errors are seen as net biases for the individual interviewers and the effect is seen as the increase in variance due to the variability among these biases. The alternative approach is to consider the interviewer effect to arise from the creation of positive correlations among the response deviations contained in (almost all) survey data. Studies of interviewer variability date from the 1940s (see, for example, Mahalanobis 1946). The ANOVA model in this context was expounded by Kish (1962) and developed by Hartley and others; the correlation model was first presented by Hansen, Hurwitz and Bershad (1961) the Census Bureau model and developed by Fellegi (1964).

Research paper thumbnail of The effect of interviewer persuasion strategies on refusal rates in household surveys

Our analysis focuses on the extent to which there is scope for reducing rates of refusal on large... more Our analysis focuses on the extent to which there is scope for reducing rates of refusal on large-scale household surveys below current standard levels. Our data consisted of over 300 tape-recorded doorstep interactions, drawn from substantive surveys at two different organisations. Tape-recorded interactions were classified in terms of the degree of reluctance expressed by the respondent und the consequent scope for the interviewer to deploy interpersonal skills und persuasion. Interactions where there was both reluctance und scope for persuasion were classified according to whether they resulted in cooperation or refusal und the interviewer tactics associated with the iwo iypes of outcome were compared. Conclusions are drawn about the prevalence of different rypes of interaction und the scope for reducing refusal rates through training interviewers to use techniques likely to minimise refusals on the doorstep.

Research paper thumbnail of Interviewer's calling strategies on face-to-face interview surveys

In July 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research to take... more In July 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research to take an in-depth look at the role of interviewers in the survey nonresponse „process. The programme is divided into three sub-projects. This article describes the analysis undertaken for Sub-Project 2 which deals mainly with the noncontact component of non response. The analysis is based on call record data from the random half of the 1995/96 Family Resources Survey (FRS) undertaken by SCPR. The particular aim of the analysis is to examine how day of week and time of day of calling affect (a) the probability of contact and (b) the probability of subsequently achieving a productive interview. Combining these estimates with information on costs and survey designs, definitions of efficient calling strategies can, in principle, be developed.

Research paper thumbnail of Mixed modes and measurement error: using cognitive interviewing to explore the results of a mixed modes experiment

This paper explores the use of cognitive interviewing as a pre-planned follow-up to a quantitativ... more This paper explores the use of cognitive interviewing as a pre-planned follow-up to a quantitative mixed modes experiment. It describes both the quantitative and cognitive interview phases and results. The goal for both was to explore measurement error differences between (computer-assisted personal interviewing - CAPI, computer-assisted telephone interviewing - CATI and computer-assisted web interviewing - CAWI). The cognitive interviewing produced evidence that in particular circumstances, supported or challenged the quantitative results. This is illustrated through the use of five examples. In conclusion, this novel application of cognitive interviewing was useful, with implications for survey design and interpretation of quantitative findings.

Research paper thumbnail of Revisiting "yes/no" versus "check all that apply": Results from a mixed modes experiment

The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) ... more The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) compares “yes/no” questions to “check all that apply” questions. They conclude that the “yes/no” format is preferable as it reflects deeper processing of survey questions. Smyth et al. (2008) found that the “yes/no” format performed similarly across telephone and web modes. In this paper we replicate their research and extend it by including a comparison with face-to-face in addition to telephone and web and by using probability samples of the general adult population. A cognitive interviewing follow-up was used to explore the quantitative findings. Our results suggest there are times when the “yes/no” format may not perform similarly across modes and that there may be factors which limit the quality of answers.

Research paper thumbnail of The questionnaire design pitfalls of multiple modes

Research paper thumbnail of Can you hear me knocking? and investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates

... and investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates. Campanelli, P., S... more ... and investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates. Campanelli, P., Sturgis, P. and Purdon, S. (1997) Can you hear me knocking? and investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates. London, GB, National Centre for Social Research. ...

![Research paper thumbnail of An Application of Rasch Analysis to Questionnaire Design: Using Vignettes to Study the Meaning of `Work' in the Current Population Survey](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/109128518/thumbnails/1.jpg)

Research paper thumbnail of The Use of Respondent and Interviewer Debriefing Studies as a Way to Study Response Error in Survey Data

The Statistician, 1991

Page 1. The Statistician (1991) 40, pp. 253-264 253 SESSION 8A MEASUREMENT ISSUES The use of resp... more Page 1. The Statistician (1991) 40, pp. 253-264 253 SESSION 8A MEASUREMENT ISSUES The use of respondent and interviewer debriefing studies as a way to study response error in survey data* PAMELA С CAMPANELLI ...

Research paper thumbnail of Context Effects for Census Measures of Race and Hispanic Origin

Public Opinion Quarterly, 1990

This paper reports on the results of a split-ballot experiment conducted in 1987 to test alternat... more This paper reports on the results of a split-ballot experiment conducted in 1987 to test alternative versions of the decennial census long form. Two forms were randomly assigned and self-administered in group sessions involving a total of 515 respondents. The order of race and Hispanic origin items was experimentally manipulated. The standard long form asks race, then Hispanic origin. The experimental form reversed the order of the items in order to reduce perceived redundancy, and to create a more restricted frame of reference for the race item. The objectives of the context manipulation were (1) to reduce item nonresponse for the Hispanic origin item, and (2) to reduce reporting of "Other race" by Hispanics in the race item. Objective (1) was met. Objective (2) was met for Hispanics born in a U. S. State, but not for immigrants. The results are interpreted as reflecting a process of acculturation which affects how Hispanic respondents apply U. S. racial categories "White" and "Black" in the census.-2-The survey methodology literature contains much evidence of the effect of question sequencing on response to questions. This work has, in large part, involved attitude items (see Schuman and Presser, 1981; Turner and Martin, 1984). The effect of question order may derive from the context invoked by prior questions, which may influence respondents' frame of reference or suggest differing interpretations of the question. Context effects can also operate on quasi-factual and factual items, but research in this area has been limited. The potential for this type of effect is especially pronounced when the concept being measured is somewhat unclear, and the respondent really isn't sure what is being asked. In this paper, we explore the effect of question sequence on responses to two potentially ambiguous items on the decennial census questionnaire: race and Hispanic origin. The Measurement of Race Despite its familiarity, the concept of race is not a simple one. Racial classifications, both popular and scientific, are based on a mixture of principles and criteria, including national origin, tribal membership, religion, language, minority status, physical characteristics, and behavior. The criteria and categories for racial classification vary among cultures and over time. In the United States, we are accustomed to think in terms of two major races: Black and White. In this country, we tend to treat race as an objective, fixed characteristic of a person which is biologically inherited. This meaning of race is so ingrained that it may come as a surprise to learn that other cultures have very different conceptions of race (Marshall, 1968; Harris, 1968). For example, the racial categories recognized in Brazil are not the

Research paper thumbnail of Revisiting "yes/no" versus "check all that apply": Results from a mixed modes experiment

Survey research methods, Dec 4, 2015

The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) ... more The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) compares "yes/no" questions to "check all that apply" questions. They conclude that the "yes/no" format is preferable as it reflects deeper processing of survey questions. Smyth et al. (2008) found that the "yes/no" format performed similarly across telephone and web modes. In this paper we replicate their research and extend it by including a comparison with face-toface in addition to telephone and web and by using probability samples of the general adult population. A cognitive interviewing follow-up was used to explore the quantitative findings. Our results suggest there are times when the "yes/no" format may not perform similarly across modes and that there may be factors which limit the quality of answers.

Research paper thumbnail of The Survey Coach

eries es www.iser.essex.ac.uk ww.iser.essex.ac.uk w.iser.essex.ac.uk iser.essex.ac.uk er.essex.ac... more eries es www.iser.essex.ac.uk ww.iser.essex.ac.uk w.iser.essex.ac.uk iser.essex.ac.uk er.essex.ac.uk.essex.ac.uk ssex.ac.uk ex.ac.uk.ac.uk c.uk uk

Research paper thumbnail of Can you hear me knocking? an investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnographic methods in the development of census procedures for enumerating the homeless

Urban anthropology, 1991

The use of ethnographic methods to estimate the number of homeless persons in the United States i... more The use of ethnographic methods to estimate the number of homeless persons in the United States is explored. The authors describe how "ethnographic methods were integrated with survey procedures in a 1989 Census Bureau pilot test of an experimental daytime count of homeless persons in Baltimore, MD. We demonstrated that ethnographic techniques do not have to be merely supplemental to survey research, but can play an integral part in shaping the entire procedure. Ethnographic data proved valuable for choosing sites, designing questionnaires and developing new interview approaches, and have since proven equally useful in interpreting the test results."

Research paper thumbnail of The Survey Coach

Non-technical summary Surveys can be presented to participants in a variety of ways (survey modes... more Non-technical summary Surveys can be presented to participants in a variety of ways (survey modes). This includes interviewing face-to-face or via telephone, or a self-completion questionnaire on paper or on the web (internet). Previous research has shown that levels of survey participation differ by mode, but less is known about how participants ’ answers to survey questions differ by mode. Knowing more about the latter is important because researchers are increasingly including several different modes in the same survey and it is a problem if the answers given by participants in different modes are not totally comparable. An experiment was carried out to look in more detail at mode differences in survey questions. Participants in a face-to-face survey of the general public were invited to take part in a follow-up experimental survey and were randomly assigned to three mode groups: telephone, face to face and web using the same questionnaire. After excluding eligible people who did...

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the Impact of Survey Introductions

In July of 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research fund... more In July of 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research funded by a grant from the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to take an in-depth look at the role of interviewers in the survey nonresponse process. This 18 month long programme is divided into 3 sub-projects and is in cooperation with the ESRC Centre for Micro-Social Change at Essex University and the NOP Research Group. This paper describes what has been done to date for sub-project 3. This subproject focuses on the initial doorstep interaction between interviewer and address residents. Although typically lasting less than a minute, it is this interaction which can be crucial in determining whether or not the prospective respondent will agree to cooperate.

Research paper thumbnail of A Service of zbw Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre for Economics Mixed modes and measurement error: Using cognitive interviewing to explore the results of a mixed modes experiment ISER Working Paper Series, Mixed Modes and

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwe... more Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in Non-technical summary Surveys can be presented to participants in a variety of ways (survey modes). This includes interviewing face-to-face or via telephone, or a self-completion questionnaire on paper or on the web (internet). Previous research has shown that levels of survey participation differ by mode, but less is known about how participants' answers to survey questions differ by mode. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Abstract PO-070: Psychometric properties and analysis of the masculinity barriers to medical care scale among African American, Indigenous, and White men

Behavioral And Social Science: Other

Research paper thumbnail of Revisiting "yes/no" versus "check all that apply": Results from a mixed modes experiment

The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) ... more The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) compares "yes/no" questions to "check all that apply" questions. They conclude that the "yes/no" format is preferable as it reflects deeper processing of survey questions. Smyth et al. (2008) found that the "yes/no" format performed similarly across telephone and web modes. In this paper we replicate their research and extend it by including a comparison with face-to-face in addition to telephone and web and by using probability samples of the general adult population. A cognitive interviewing follow-up was used to explore the quantitative findings. Our results suggest there are times when the "yes/no" format may not perform similarly across modes and that there may be factors which limit the quality of answers.

Research paper thumbnail of Interviewers , Interviewer Continuity , and Panel Survey Nonresponse 1

It is widely known that in practice, different interviewers have different response rates, though... more It is widely known that in practice, different interviewers have different response rates, though there has been no systematic examination of whether this is because of differences among interviewers or differences among those areas allocated to the interviewers ('area' effects), or both. Furthermore, the conventional wisdom in survey research suggests that it is advisable to have the same interviewers return to the same respondents in order to maintain good response rates in longitudinal surveys, though once again there has been very little documented experimental research to support this. This paper makes use of the interpenetrated sample design experiment in Wave 2 of the British Household Panel Study (BHPS) (i) to explore the effects of interviewers' background characteristics and years of experience on response rates, (ii) to identify and estimate the differential effects of interviewers on response rates and compare the magnitudes of area and interviewer effects, and (iii) to investigate the impact of 'interviewer continuity'. The analysis is facilitated by the use of cross-classified multilevel modelling. The paper also looks at the issue of interviewer continuity qualitatively, through the impressions of the interviewers themselves.

Research paper thumbnail of Colm O ' Muircheartaigh ( London School of Economics , UK ) and

The interviewer is seen as one of the principal sources of error in data collected from structure... more The interviewer is seen as one of the principal sources of error in data collected from structured face-to-face interviews. Survey statisticians have expressed the effect in formal statistical models of two kinds. In the analysis of variance (ANOVA) framework the errors are seen as net biases for the individual interviewers and the effect is seen as the increase in variance due to the variability among these biases. The alternative approach is to consider the interviewer effect to arise from the creation of positive correlations among the response deviations contained in (almost all) survey data. Studies of interviewer variability date from the 1940s (see, for example, Mahalanobis 1946). The ANOVA model in this context was expounded by Kish (1962) and developed by Hartley and others; the correlation model was first presented by Hansen, Hurwitz and Bershad (1961) the Census Bureau model and developed by Fellegi (1964).

Research paper thumbnail of The effect of interviewer persuasion strategies on refusal rates in household surveys

Our analysis focuses on the extent to which there is scope for reducing rates of refusal on large... more Our analysis focuses on the extent to which there is scope for reducing rates of refusal on large-scale household surveys below current standard levels. Our data consisted of over 300 tape-recorded doorstep interactions, drawn from substantive surveys at two different organisations. Tape-recorded interactions were classified in terms of the degree of reluctance expressed by the respondent und the consequent scope for the interviewer to deploy interpersonal skills und persuasion. Interactions where there was both reluctance und scope for persuasion were classified according to whether they resulted in cooperation or refusal und the interviewer tactics associated with the iwo iypes of outcome were compared. Conclusions are drawn about the prevalence of different rypes of interaction und the scope for reducing refusal rates through training interviewers to use techniques likely to minimise refusals on the doorstep.

Research paper thumbnail of Interviewer's calling strategies on face-to-face interview surveys

In July 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research to take... more In July 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research to take an in-depth look at the role of interviewers in the survey nonresponse „process. The programme is divided into three sub-projects. This article describes the analysis undertaken for Sub-Project 2 which deals mainly with the noncontact component of non response. The analysis is based on call record data from the random half of the 1995/96 Family Resources Survey (FRS) undertaken by SCPR. The particular aim of the analysis is to examine how day of week and time of day of calling affect (a) the probability of contact and (b) the probability of subsequently achieving a productive interview. Combining these estimates with information on costs and survey designs, definitions of efficient calling strategies can, in principle, be developed.

Research paper thumbnail of Mixed modes and measurement error: using cognitive interviewing to explore the results of a mixed modes experiment

This paper explores the use of cognitive interviewing as a pre-planned follow-up to a quantitativ... more This paper explores the use of cognitive interviewing as a pre-planned follow-up to a quantitative mixed modes experiment. It describes both the quantitative and cognitive interview phases and results. The goal for both was to explore measurement error differences between (computer-assisted personal interviewing - CAPI, computer-assisted telephone interviewing - CATI and computer-assisted web interviewing - CAWI). The cognitive interviewing produced evidence that in particular circumstances, supported or challenged the quantitative results. This is illustrated through the use of five examples. In conclusion, this novel application of cognitive interviewing was useful, with implications for survey design and interpretation of quantitative findings.

Research paper thumbnail of Revisiting "yes/no" versus "check all that apply": Results from a mixed modes experiment

The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) ... more The work of Smyth, Dillman, Christian, and Stern (2006) and Smyth, Christian, and Dillman (2008) compares “yes/no” questions to “check all that apply” questions. They conclude that the “yes/no” format is preferable as it reflects deeper processing of survey questions. Smyth et al. (2008) found that the “yes/no” format performed similarly across telephone and web modes. In this paper we replicate their research and extend it by including a comparison with face-to-face in addition to telephone and web and by using probability samples of the general adult population. A cognitive interviewing follow-up was used to explore the quantitative findings. Our results suggest there are times when the “yes/no” format may not perform similarly across modes and that there may be factors which limit the quality of answers.

Research paper thumbnail of The questionnaire design pitfalls of multiple modes

Research paper thumbnail of Can you hear me knocking? and investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates

... and investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates. Campanelli, P., S... more ... and investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates. Campanelli, P., Sturgis, P. and Purdon, S. (1997) Can you hear me knocking? and investigation into the impact of interviewers on survey response rates. London, GB, National Centre for Social Research. ...