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These data are from the 1987-1988 round of Australia's leading academic
survey, the International Social Science Survey/Australia (IsssA); it includes
modules from the National Social Science Survey, the International Social Survey
Programme, and various academic research projects. There are 1663 respondents. It
is a mail survey of simple random sample of citizens aged 18 and over, using a
sample drawn from the (compulsory) electoral rolls. Potential respondents were sent
an initial questionnaire, followed 10 days later by a thank you/ reminder letter.
Non-respondents were then pursued by up to four subsequent mailings over a six
month period, including two mailings with fresh copies of the questionnaire.
The final response rate was 60%, essentially the same as an earlier NSSS survey using face-to-face methods with a very similar questionnaire; this compares well with recent experience in many industrial nations, for example the well regarded 1988 International Crime Victim Survey (van Dijk, Mayhew and Killias, 1989) with a completion rate averaging 41% in 14 nations (and 45% in Australia).
In Australia, the use of mail rather than personal interviews seems to have no implications for quality or comparability. Comparisons with an earlier NSSS survey based on personal interviews and subsequent mail surveys asking the same questions show no appreciable differences. The mail survey's simple random sample is statistically much more efficient than the cluster sample necessary for face-to- face interviews.
Extensive comparisons with the 1986 Census show that the sample closely approximates the population in age, sex, place of residence, education, labor force participation, and occupation (Bean 1991: 12-19).
[Reference] Bean, C.S. 1991. "Comparison of National Social Science Survey Data with the 1986 Census" National Social Science Survey Report 2(6): 12-19.
We do not yet have Bean’s article available in electronic form, but do have some material from another of our surveys, using exactly the same methods, done a couple of years later. It is reproduced below (the exact wording is borrowed from the Zentralarchiv fuer Empirische Sozialforschung codebook for study S1950). This report is far briefer than Bean’s but, insofar as they overlap, the conclusions are the same. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Study description: Australia
Study-Title: National Social Science Survey (NSSS) 1990
Election Panel Survey
Fieldwork Dates: March to July 1990
Principal Investigators: Jonathan Kelley, Clive Bean, Mariah Evans
Sample Type: Panel of respondents from the earlier NSSS
'Family' survey, conducted in late 1989-early
1990. This was a simple random sample covering
the whole of Australia, drawn from the
(compulsory) Australian federal electoral rolls
by the Australian Electoral Commission. Potential
respondents were eligible for inclusion in the
sample if they had completed the Family survey
and were still contactable at the same address.
The simple random sampling method means that
standard statistical tests are appropriate (i.e.,
without the downward adjustment of effective
sample size appropriate for the clustered sample
designs usual in face-to-face interviews).
Response Rates:
3730 A - Total issued - total sample
879 B - Ineligible - out of scope
2851 C - (=A - B) Total eligible (in scope
sample)
2398 D - Total ISSP questionnaires received
E - (=C - D; F + G + H)
347 F - Refusals
G - Non-contact
106 H - Other (valid questionnaires received
without information necessary to link panel
respondents to background data form earlier
wave of the survey)
"Comparison with National Population Characteristics: Australia
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Source 1 Source 2
Census Survey
1986 1990
Male 49.1 % 51.7 % Female 50.9 % 48.3 % (N) (2279)
Age Groups
20 - 24 12.0 % 8.1 % 25 - 34 23.8 % 21.3 % 35 - 44 20.9 % 22.5 % 45 - 54 14.4 % 17.2 % 55 - 59 6.9 % 7.2 % 60 - 64 6.6 % 8.2 % 65 + 15.5 % 15.4 % (N) (2279)
Age left School
under 13/none 3.7 % 1.6 % 13 years old 3.0 % 1.5 % 14 years old 18.1 % 14.6 % 15 years old 25.6 % 24.0 % 16 years old 21.4 % 22.7 % 17 years old 15.5 % 21.8 % 18 years old 9.0 % 10.5 % 19 and over 3.5 % 3.0 % Still at school 0.1 % 0.1 % (N) (2232)
Managers 12.9 % 13.5 % Professionals 13.1 % 21.0 % Para- professional 7.0 % 12.2 % Tradespersons 15.2 % 11.4 % Clerks 17.4 % 16.6 % Sales and personal services 11.3 % 9.3 % Plant and machine operators 8.6 % 7.3 % Labourers and related workers 14.2 % 8.8 % (N) (1254)
Labour Force Status: Wage/salary earner 46.7 % 52.0 % Self-employed/ employer 10.0 % 8.0 % Unpaid helper 0.5 % 0.4 % Unemployed 5.0 % 2.1 % Not in labour force 37.7 % 37.5 % (N) (2017) --------------------------------------------------------------------