A note on improving process efficiency in panel surveys with paradata

DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X14538205
URL:	http://fmx.sagepub.com/content/27/1/55
Document Type:	Article
Year of publication:	2015
The title of a journal, publication series:	Field Methods
Volume:	27
Issue number:	1
Page range:	55-65
Place of publication:	Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Publishing house:	Sage Publ.
ISSN:	1525-822X , 1552-3969
Publication language:	English
Institution:	Außerfakultäre Einrichtungen > Mannheim Centre for European Social Research - Research Department A
Subject:	300 Social sciences, sociology, anthropology
Abstract:	Call scheduling is a challenge for surveys around the world. Unlike cross-sectional surveys, panel surveys can use information from prior waves to enhance call-scheduling algorithms. Past observational studies showed the benefit of calling panel cases at times that had been successful in the past. This article is the first to experimentally assign panel cases to previously beneficial call windows. The results from a large-scale national survey in Germany show modest efficiency gains measured in number of call attempts needed until first contact but no gains in efficiency to gain cooperation.