Telephone Survey Methodology

" Telephone Survey Methodology provides essential background on both the shortcomings and advantages of telephone interviewing as well as collecting most of the latest developments in telephone interviewing research. It is highly recommended to all who are interested or involved in telephone surveys." - Journal of Official Statistics Telephone Survey Methodology presents developments in telephone survey techniques from around the world. An international group of survey experts provides a comprehensive review of the state of the art. They describe work in commercial settings, academic research, and governmental statistical agencies- including results from the United States, several European countries, and Australia. There are reports on trends in coverage of U.S. household populations; on effects due to mode of data collection; and on the state of the art in technology. Important aspects of each method are covered: choice of target population, sample design, questionnaire construction,,interviewing techniques, measurement error issues, and nonresponse characteristics. In-depth reviews of the literature in telephone survey methodology are presented. There are also sections on administrative issues and the use of Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). Applied statisticians and social scientists involved with surveys will find Telephone Survey Methodology invaluable. Much of the information presented here was previously available only in journal articles and unpublished technical reports. A full bibliography of the telephone survey methodology literature is included, assembled from references throughout the world.

ROBERT M. GROVES is Director of the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a faculty member at the Joint Program in Survey Methodology. <p> PAUL P. BIEMER is Chief Scientist at the Research Triangle Institute. <p> LARS E. LYBERG is Head of the Statistical Research Unit of Statistics Sweden in Stockholm and Chief Editor of the Journal of Official Statistics. <p> The late JAMES T. MASSEY was Chief of the Survey Design Staff in the Office of Research and Methodology at the National Center for Health Statistics, and served as Program Chair Elect-1989 for the Survey Research Methods Section of the ASA. <p> WILLIAM L. NICHOLLS II was formerly Principal Researcher in the Field Division of the U.S. Census Bureau. <p> WAKSBERG is Chairman of the Board of Westat, Inc.