ISSN:
1573-188X
Keywords:
response bias
;
college students
;
nonresponse
;
longitudinal
;
follow-up
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Nature of Science, Research, Systems of Higher Education, Museum Science
Notes:
Abstract The problems of response bias in longitudinal studies of college students are examined. An extensive follow-up questionnaire was sent to 1,253 college seniors who had participated in a similar survey as freshman four years earlier. Careful measure of student responsiveness in relation to various techniques designed to increase the proportion of responders (e.g., postcard, telephone contact) were kept. The less responsive groups were significantly different from their more responsive counterparts on nearly a dozen variables representing a wide variety of content areas, including academic achievement, self-concept, alcohol consumption, social deviance, and major choice preferences. Controlling for sex and socioeconomic status served to reduce, but not eliminate, these biases. Overall, the results indicate that researchers cannot account for follow-up nonresponse bias by making statistical adjustments according to data available at initial testing. The results are discussed in light of identifying the reasons for nonresponse, and attempting to develop categories of nonresponders who may be motivated to cooperate by different types of follow-up techniques.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00977392
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