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3.5.3 Non-Sampling Error

Non-sampling errors are errors in surveys that are not related to sampling, including coverage, measurement, nonresponse, and processing errors. These errors can lead to biases in survey results and are often difficult to measure. Understanding and minimizing these errors is crucial for maintaining data quality in surveys.

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17 views4 pages

3.5.3 Non-Sampling Error

Non-sampling errors are errors in surveys that are not related to sampling, including coverage, measurement, nonresponse, and processing errors. These errors can lead to biases in survey results and are often difficult to measure. Understanding and minimizing these errors is crucial for maintaining data quality in surveys.

Uploaded by

Ishita Rath
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Home > 12-004-X > Main Page > 3 Data gathering and processing

3.5.3 Non-sampling error

Non-sampling error refers to all sources of error


Topic
that are unrelated to sampling. Non-sampling
navigation
errors are present in all types of survey, including
censuses and administrative data. They arise for a
number of reasons: the frame may be incomplete, some respondents may not
accurately report data, data may be missing for some respondents, etc.

Non-sampling errors can be classified into two groups: random errors and
systematic errors.

Random errors are errors whose effects approximately cancel out if a


large enough sample is used, leading to increased variability.
Systematic errors are errors that tend to go in the same direction, and
thus accumulate over the entire sample leading to a bias in the final
results. Unlike random errors, this bias is not reduced by increasing the
sample size. Systematic errors are the principal cause of concern in terms
of a survey’s data quality. Unfortunately, non-sampling errors are often
extremely difficult, if not impossible, to measure.

Types of non-sampling error


Non-sampling error can occur in all aspects of the survey process, and can be
classified into the following categories: coverage error, measurement error,
nonresponse error and processing error.

Coverage error
:
Coverage error consists of omissions (undercoverage), erroneous inclusions,
duplications and misclassifications (overcoverage) of units in the survey
frame. Since it affects every estimate produced by the survey, they are one of
the most important types of error. In the case of a census, it may be the main
source of error. Coverage error can have both spatial and temporal
dimensions, and may cause bias in the estimates. The effect can vary for
different subgroups of the population. This error tends to be systematic and is
usually due to under coverage, which is why it’s important to reduce it as
much as possible.

Measurement error
Measurement error, also called response error, is the difference between
measured values and true values. It consists of bias and variance, and it
results when data are incorrectly requested, provided, received or recorded.
These errors may occur because of inefficiencies with the questionnaire, the
interviewer, the respondent or the survey process.

Poor questionnaire design


It is essential that sample survey or census questions are worded carefully
in order to avoid introducing bias. If questions are misleading or
confusing, then the responses may end up being distorted.
Interviewer bias
An interviewer can influence how a respondent answers the survey
questions. This may occur when the interviewer is too friendly or aloof or
prompts the respondent. To prevent this, interviewers must be trained to
remain neutral throughout the interview. They must also pay close
attention to the way they ask each question. If an interviewer changes the
way a question is worded, it may impact the respondent’s answer.
Respondent error
Respondents can also provide incorrect answers. Faulty recollections,
tendencies to exaggerate or underplay events, and inclinations to give
answers that appear more socially acceptable are several reasons why a
:
respondent may provide a false answer.
Problems with the survey process
Errors can also occur because of a problem with the actual survey
process. Using proxy responses, meaning taking answers from someone
other than the respondent, or lacking control over the survey procedures
are just a few ways of increasing the risk of response errors.

Non-response error
Estimates obtained after nonresponse has been observed and imputation has
been used to deal with this nonresponse are usually not equivalent to the
estimates that would have been obtained had all the desired values been
observed without error. The difference between these two types of estimates
is called the nonresponse error. There are two types of non-response errors:
total and partial.

Total nonresponse error occurs when all or almost all data for a
sampling unit are missing. This can happen if the respondent is
unavailable or temporarily absent, the respondent is unable to participate
or refuses to participate in the survey, or if the dwelling is vacant. If a
significant number of sampled units do not respond to a survey, then the
results may be biased since the characteristics of the non-respondents
may differ from those who have participated.
Partial nonresponse error occurs when respondents provide incomplete
information. For certain people, some questions may be difficult to
understand, they may refuse or forget to answer a question. Poorly
designed questionnaire or poor interviewing techniques can also be
reasons which result partial nonresponse error. To reduce this form of
error, care should be taken in designing and testing questionnaires.
Adequate interviewer training and appropriate edit and imputation
strategies will also help minimize this error.

Processing error
:
Processing error occurs during data processing. It includes all data
processing activities after collection and prior to estimation, such as errors in
data capture, coding, editing and tabulation of the data as well as in the
assignment of survey weights.

Coding errors occur when different coders code the same answer
differently, which can be caused by poor training, incomplete instructions,
variance in coder performance (i.e. tiredness, illness), data entry errors, or
machine malfunction (some processing errors are caused by errors in the
computer programs).
Data capture errors result when data are not entered into the computer
exactly as they appear on the questionnaire. This can be caused by the
complexity of alphanumeric data and by the lack of clarity in the answer
provided. The physical layout of the questionnaire itself or the coding
documents can cause data capture errors. The method of data capture,
manual or automated (for example, using an optical scanner), can also
result in errors.
Editing and imputation errors can be caused by the poor quality of the
original data or by its complex structure. When the editing and imputation
processes are automated, errors can also be the result of faulty programs
that were insufficiently tested. The choice of an inappropriate imputation
method can introduce bias. Errors can also result from incorrectly
changing data that were found to be in error, or by erroneously changing
correct data.

Date modified:
2021-09-02
:

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