Paradata, n.
Data about how surveys are run and the process of collecting survey data or data sets (like click counts on each question, time taken to submit the response, or overall time spent on the survey).
Sample Size (n size), n.
Sample size refers to the number of subjects in a statistical sample and is used to make observations about the larger population from which the sample is drawn.
Open Data, n.
Open data is public information that can be freely used, reproduced, or redistributed by anyone, and often refers to scientific, biological, geographic, or civic databases.
Trap Question, n.
A survey question embedded with some type of fake response, intended to catch satisficers who select an impossible or incorrect response option to the question — as a means of gauging respondent participation.
Benchmark, n.
An external point of reference — typical from well-respected longitudinal tracking surveys, such as ANES (American National Election Studies), GSS (General Social Survey) — or first person behavioral data from reputable organizations, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Benchmarks are used to compare survey estimates for validation and accuracy.
Acquiescence Bias, n.
A tendency to select a positive or agreeable response option rather than sharing one’s true feelings. Also known as agreement bias.
Attention Check, n.
A survey question with explicit instructions directing the respondent how to answer properly to “pass” the question. This helps to flag respondents moving inattentively throughout the survey.
Statistical Significance, n.
Statistical significance is a determination made by data analysts that the results in a dataset are not due to random chance. Results are generally considered to be statistically significant when the p-value, which represents the probability that results have been determined by random chance and not a direct relationship, is 5% or less.
