Making Good Use of Survey Paradata

Abstract

Paradata are data about the process of collecting survey data. They can include things like call record data, CAI keystroke files and interviewer observations. Such data can be put to a variety of uses that can improve surveys. In this article we describe the work of a network that has been set up in the UK to explore and promote the use of survey paradata and we outline some of the key challenges in making the most of paradata.