Question 1

If a respondent is not at home or if their telephone is busy, it is standard practice in the research industry to immediately substitute that sample member with the next person on the sample frame.

Accepted Answer

In research, it is standard practice to make multiple attempts to contact the original respondent before considering substitution to ensure the sample remains representative and unbiased.

Question 2

A good definition for a completed interview is one that has all questions answered up to the demographic questions at the end of the survey.

Accepted Answer

A completed interview means that all questions of the survey have been answered up to the demographic questions, which are typically located at the end of the survey.

Question 3

A method that may reduce nonresponse error is to provide potential respondents with an advance notification, either by telephone or by letter, that they are going to be asked to take part in some research.

Accepted Answer

By providing advance notification, potential respondents may be more likely to participate in the research, thereby reducing the likelihood of nonresponse bias.

Question 4

The "third-person technique" may be used to reduce falsehoods.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The "third-person technique" may be used to...

Question 5

Reversal of scale endpoints is helpful in order to change the results to more closely match the research objectives. If the objectives are met, the client will have greater satisfaction and will likely use the services of the research firm again.

Accepted Answer

Reversing scale endpoints to manipulate results is unethical and can lead to misleading conclusions, which undermines the integrity of the research and can damage the research firm's reputation.

Question 6

An item omission refers to the failure to include an important question on a survey questionnaire. Therefore, item omissions may seriously threaten the achievement of the research objectives.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An item omission refers to the failure...

Question 7

Technology is dramatically changing data collection and harming the ability of marketing researchers to control its errors.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Technology is dramatically changing data collection and...

Question 8

Nonresponse has been labeled the marketing research industry's biggest problem.

Accepted Answer

Nonresponse occurs when individuals or households do not participate in a survey, and it can significantly affect the representativeness and accuracy of the data obtained through marketing research. Therefore, nonresponse has been identified as a major challenge for the industry.

Question 9

The more competent the field interviewer is through training, supervision, and personal skills, the lower the potential for interviewer error.

Accepted Answer

The statement suggests that field interviewer error can be reduced by improving the interviewer's competence through training, supervision, and personal skills. Therefore, the higher the competence of the interviewer, the lower the potential for error. This makes the statement true.

Question 10

An industry standard for validation is to recall 50 percent of the respondents to verify that they were, in fact, interviewed.

Accepted Answer

The industry standard for validation typically involves recalling a smaller percentage, often around 10-20%, of respondents to verify their participation in a survey or interview.

Question 11

CASRO, the Council of American Survey Research Organizations, has provided standards for calculating response rates.

Accepted Answer

CASRO does provide standards for calculating response rates.

Question 12

Nonresponse is composed of refusal and item omission; break-offs are not considered a form of nonresponse.

Accepted Answer

Break-offs are actually considered a type of nonresponse, as they occur when a respondent starts but does not complete the survey, resulting in missing data for some items.

Question 13

A completed interview is always defined as an interview in which 100 percent of the questions have been answered and in a way that they are all supportive of the research objectives.

Accepted Answer

A completed interview typically means that the interview has been conducted and concluded, but it does not necessarily mean that all questions were answered or that the responses align with research objectives.

Question 14

The University of Michigan's Survey of Consumer Attitudes has shown that response rates are declining.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true, according to the University of Michigan's Survey of Consumer Attitudes.

Question 15

In calculating the response rate for studies with screening questions and, therefore, a certain percentage of the sample who are "eligible," it is impossible to estimate the percentage of those members of the sample who are not called (i.e. not at homes, busy signals, etc.)who are "eligible." Therefore, the response rate formula omits the concept of eligibility, thus giving us response rates much lower than they should be.

Accepted Answer

The response rate formula can include adjustments for eligibility by estimating the proportion of eligible respondents among those not reached, thus providing a more accurate response rate.

Question 16

If a respondent is called and is "not at home," that sample element is no longer usable and callbacks should not be made. To do otherwise will distort the response rate.

Accepted Answer

Callbacks should be made to ensure that the sample remains representative and to avoid biasing the response rate by excluding those not initially available.

Question 17

Response rate and nonresponse rates are related; if the response rate is 60 percent, then the nonresponse rate is 40 percent.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The response rate and nonresponse rate always add up to 100 percent. Therefore, if the response rate is 60 percent, the nonresponse rate must be 40 percent.

Question 18

It was long thought that response rates increased if the respondents have a high level of interest in the research topic. However, recent research has shown this is false.

Accepted Answer

Recent research has shown that response rates do increase when respondents have a high level of interest in the research topic.

Question 19

Response rate is calculated as the number of units in the sample divided by the number of completed interviews.

Accepted Answer

Response rate is calculated as the number of completed interviews divided by the number of eligible units in the sample.

Question 20

Anonymity occurs when the respondent is given assurances that his or her answers will remain private; the researcher will not divulge the name of the respondent with the responses.

Accepted Answer

Anonymity means that the researcher does not know the identity of the respondent at all, whereas confidentiality means the researcher knows the identity but does not disclose it.

Quiz 14: Data Collection in the Field, Nonresponse Error, and Questionnaire Screening