PSC Working Paper Series
Document Type
Working Paper
Date of this Version
12-1-2009
Abstract
A large study of nurses conducted in the U.S. states of California (CA) and Pennsylvania (PA) is based on two large samples: n^CA≈100,000 and n^PA≈65,000. The study was conducted by mail and had response rates of: p^CA=.27 and p^PA=.39 ;; the number of respondents is thus, respectively, : n_1^CA≈28,000 and n_1^PA≈25,000. Although there are many respondents, we must concern ourselves with the possibility of substantial bias due to non-response. In order to estimate and correct for this bias, a second random sample (n_01=1,300 in the two states combined) was drawn from among the non-respondents to the first survey. Thanks to financial incentives and, above all, a shorter questionnaire, we obtained a response rate above 90%. In each state, the two samples were combined to create a virtually unbiased double sample.
Keywords
Biases, California, Double sample, Efficiency, Errors, Mail surveys, Non-response, Nursing, Pennsylvania, Random sample, Sample design, Sample surveys, Sampling, Statistical methods, Statistics, Survey Data, Survey methodology, Surveys
Included in
Applied Statistics Commons, Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons
Date Posted: 26 July 2010
Comments
Smith, Herbert L. 2009. “A Double Sample to Minimize Bias Due to Non-response in a Mail Survey.” Philadelphia, PA: Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania. PSC Working Paper Series, No. 09-05. [English version of Smith 2008.]