Research Catalog

Title

Understanding low survey response rates among young U.S. military personnel / Laura L. Miller, Eyal Aharoni.

Author

Miller, Laura L., 1967-

Publication

• Santa Monica : RAND Corporation, [2015]
• ©2015

Supplementary Content

Publisher description

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Aharoni, Eyal
• Project Air Force (U.S.), sponsoring body.
• United States. Air Force, sponsoring body.
• Rand Corporation, issuing body.

Description

xv, 59 pages : color illustrations; 28 cm

Summary

Because both scholars and policymakers draw from military personnel survey results, survey participants need to be representative of the population. This research examined response rates for several major online U.S. Department of Defense military personnel surveys and found that younger service members, particularly younger enlisted personnel, tend to have very low response rates, even when surveys that are only 50 percent complete are defined as completed. The authors identify possible explanations, including military- and nonmilitary-specific situational and technological barriers and motivational factors. Low response rates do not necessarily yield results with bias. No minimum response rate has ever been established as a scientific threshold for minimizing nonresponse bias. Strategies to increase response rates can be costly, and previous research shows that they might not necessarily change the results in any perceptible or practically significant way. Thus, the authors propose ways to first understand how well surveys are capturing a representative sample of service members. Weighting the data along demographic characteristics might correct for some biases, but significant gaps in attitudes and experiences could remain. If nonresponse biases are present, the authors recommend reporting the limitations along with the results and identifying the factors that contribute to the bias (e.g., lack of access, trust) so that the survey researchers and sponsors invest only in recruitment strategies that would actually target the source of the problem and not just exacerbate it.

Series Statement

Research report ; RR-881-AF

Uniform Title

Research report (Rand Corporation) ; RR-881-AF.

Subject

• Social surveys > Response rate
• Soldiers > United States

Note

• "RR-881-AF"--Page 4 of cover.
• "Rand Project Air Force."
• "Prepared for the United States Air Force."
• "Approved for public release; distribution unlimited."

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages 53-59).

Contents

Chapter one. Response rates on the 2012 RAND survey of airmen on information and communication technologies and well-being -- Chapter two. Response patterns by age or rank group in other large recent surveys of U.S. military personnel -- Chapter three. Low response rates in survey research and their implications -- Chapter four. Conclusion and recommendations for future air force and other military surveys -- Appendix A. Strategies to promote participation in the 2012 RAND survey of airmen on information and communication technologies and well-being -- Appendix B. Survey invitation for the 2012 RAND survey of airmen on information and communication technologies and well-being.

Call Number

JFF 17-626

ISBN

• 0833090178
• 9780833090171

LCCN

2015944865

OCLC

913137322

Author

Miller, Laura L., 1967- author.

Title

Understanding low survey response rates among young U.S. military personnel / Laura L. Miller, Eyal Aharoni.

Publisher

Santa Monica : RAND Corporation, [2015]

Copyright Date

©2015

Type of Content

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Series

Research report ; RR-881-AF

Research report (Rand Corporation) ; RR-881-AF.

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 53-59).

Connect to:

Publisher description

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR881.html

Added Author

Aharoni, Eyal, author.

Project Air Force (U.S.), sponsoring body.

United States. Air Force, sponsoring body.

Rand Corporation, issuing body.

Research Call Number

JFF 17-626