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Improving Central Monitoring of Fieldwork in Cross-national Surveys: The Case of the Fieldwork Management System in the European Social Survey
[journal article]
Abstract Cross-national surveys face the particular challenge of trying to balance optimal survey quality within a
country with comparability across countries in terms of data quality. Addressing this challenge during
fieldwork requires effective management of fieldwork data, a task made more difficult by ... view more
Cross-national surveys face the particular challenge of trying to balance optimal survey quality within a
country with comparability across countries in terms of data quality. Addressing this challenge during
fieldwork requires effective management of fieldwork data, a task made more difficult by the inherent
differences between countries. This article argues that changes to the comprehensiveness, timeliness,
consistency, and accessibility of fieldwork data facilitate monitoring and represent a necessary step
forward towards achieving optimal data quality in cross-national surveys. It discusses the approach of the
European Social Survey (ESS) for monitoring fieldwork cross-nationally, and specifically, the
improvements made to central monitoring with the introduction of the Fieldwork Management System
(FMS). Through real-life examples of the use of FMS by the central team, the article reflects and
discusses the impact of the changes to fieldwork monitoring. The ESS experience demonstrates that
there is more than one way to realise the benefits of improved fieldwork data management and provides
insights about the process of improving central monitoring of fieldwork for other cross-national surveys.... view less
Keywords
data quality; international comparison; field research; data organization; data capture; monitoring
Classification
Methods and Techniques of Data Collection and Data Analysis, Statistical Methods, Computer Methods
Free Keywords
central fieldwork monitoring; cross-national surveys; data management system; FMS; data quality; ESS; faceto- face; survey management; European Social Survey
Document language
English
Publication Year
2020
Page/Pages
p. 1-18
Journal
Survey Methods: Insights from the Field (2020)
Issue topic
Fieldwork Monitoring Strategies for Interviewer-Administered Surveys
ISSN
2296-4754
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed