Interviewers across the Survey Life Cycle |
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| Coordinator 1 | Dr Mariel Leonard (DIW-Berlin) |
| Coordinator 2 | Dr Zachary Smith (National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)) |
Interviewers are central to survey operations. From qualitative question design and evaluation – cognitive interviewers, focus group moderators, and even expert reviewers – to quantitative survey administration in the field. A large body of literature has identified various ways the identity, behavior, and disposition of interviewers influence the quality of data collected. And, a growing consensus is developing that in both qualitative and quantitative aspects, interviewers should be understood not merely as mindless, faceless data collection machines, but as researchers that contribute to the research process. Indeed, the consequences of ignoring interviewers’ humanity and research capabilities may be particularly important for data quality, as research on interviewer effects has already shown.
This panel invites contributions addressing either qualitative pre-fielding or quantitative survey administration that consider:
1. Whether and how best interviewers can be incorporated into the research team;
2. How interviewers affect the quality of data collected (positively or negatively);
3. How interviewers navigate complex issues, for example, sensitive survey topics or respondents unaccustomed to the survey process;
4. Considerations of the “interviewer” in a self-administered context.