A Framework for Monitoring Quality in Cross-National Survey Research

• Activity Number: 567
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 4, 2010 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Beth-Ellen Pennell*+ and Kirsten Alcser and Sue Ellen Hansen and Ashley Bowers
• Companies: University of Michigan and University of Michigan and University of Michigan and University of Michigan

Abstract

Monitoring quality in any survey can be challenging. Monitoring quality in a cross-national survey involves additional layers of complexity which may include considerable organizational, methodological, and operational barriers. This presentation will describe a framework for monitoring quality across the survey lifecycle in a cross-national study. The framework addresses seven dimensions of quality, including total survey error as well as critical dimensions such as relevance, timeliness and comparability. The presentation will also address how costs, design constraints and other features of the survey interact in the framework. Concrete recommendations will be made on how to monitor quality through the collection of study level, country level and question level metadata, process or paradata, technical developments, and greater transparency through quality profiles.