Implications of Nonresponse for the Interpretation of Mail Questionnaire Data

Abstract

Frank discussion of problems and limitations of research procedures and critical tests of their performance are marks of professional maturity. Many procedures can be evaluated only by the accumulation and comparison of many specific tests, carefully analyzed and reported in detail. This article is a welcome contribution to the assessment of questionnaire techniques. Dr. Marjorie N. Donald is Visiting Associate Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University. She started her professional career in the Department of Psychology at Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand. This article is based on research she did at the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan in a study of the League of Women Voters which had financial support from the Schwarzhaupt Foundation. More recently she served as Study Director for a survey of employee attitudes for Standard Oil Company of New Jersey.