|
Abstract:
|
In recent decades, a survey climate of decreasing response rates and increasing budgetary constraints has affected surveys in a range of fields. Survey managers are evaluating methods such as adaptive design and other targeted contact strategies to improve data collection outcomes (Groves and Heeringa, 2006). Alongside evaluating whether these more complex designs can be useful in particular surveys, it is also necessary to understand their cost implications.
The National Household Education Survey (NHES), sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), is a dual phase survey that involves an initial short screener questionnaire, followed by a topical questionnaire. In recent iterations of NHES, a variety of data collection strategies have been tested in an attempt to maximize response rates given a fixed budget. Our goal is to analyze the costs associated with these different data collection features, which could provide an additional metric to inform future decision-making. Information about the tradeoff between cost and response are critical to the design of all surveys, from basic cost estimation to the development of dynamic adaptive interventions.
|
