Cell Phone Surveying in the United States: An Update from a 2010 AAPOR Task Force

• Activity Number: 97
• Type: Roundtables
• Date/Time: Monday, August 2, 2010 : 7:00 AM to 8:15 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Paul J. Lavrakas*+
• Companies: Independent Contractor
• Keywords: Telephone surveys ; Cell Phones ; AAPOR

Abstract

Conducting representative telephone surveys of the general public in the U.S. has become very challenging in the past five years because of the growing prevalence of cell phone only and cell phone mostly households - now estimated to constitute more than 40% of all U.S. households. The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) has reconstituted its Cell Phone Surveying Task Force and will issue the 2010 Task Force report in May. The roundtable discussion will be led the chair of the AAPOR Task Force. The topics of discussion at the roundtable pertaining to U.S. cell phone survey as of 2010 will include challenges related to (a) sampling and coverage, (b) nonresponse, (c) measurement, (d) weighting, (e) legal and ethical issues, (f) operations, and (g) costs.