Evaluating relative mode effects in mixed-mode surveys: three methods to disentangle selection and measurement effects

Publication type

Journal Article

Authors

Publication date

June 1, 2013

Summary:

In order to investigate the advantage of mixed-mode (MM) surveys, selection effects between the modes should be evaluated. Selection effects refer to differences in respondent compositions on the target variables between the modes. However, estimation of selection effects is not an easy task because they may be completely confounded with measurement effects between the modes (differences in measurement error). Publications concerning the estimation of these mode effects are scarce. This article presents and compares three methods that allow measurement effects and selection effects to be evaluated separately. The first method starts from existing publications that avoid the confounding problem by introducing a set of mode-insensitive variables into the analysis model. However, this article will show that this method involves unrealistic assumptions in most practical research. The second and the third methods make use of an MM sample extended by comparable single-mode data. The assumptions, advantages, and disadvantages of all three methods are discussed. Each method will further be illustrated using a set of six variables relating to opinions about surveys among the Flemish population. The results show large differences between the methods.

Published in

Sociological Methods and Research

Volume and page numbers

Volume: 42 , p.82 -104

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0049124112464868

ISSN

491241

Subject

Notes

Albert Sloman Library Periodicals *restricted to Univ. Essex registered users*

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