Total Survey Error Workshop

The goal of the workshop is to bring together researchers from federal agencies, academia, and survey organizations to discuss methods for measuring nonsampling errors. The workshop will include invited presentations by distinguished researchers in survey methodology, particularly those specializing in the estimation of components of total survey error. These researchers will present a wide range of methods for quantifying components of total survey error. In addition, workshop participants will invited to discuss the types of nonsampling errors they experience in collecting and analyzing survey data and, therefore, seek to quantify. Note that, in the interest of preserving the focus of the workshop on estimation methods and issues, no discussion of the methods for reducing survey errors is planned.

We expect lively, open floor discussions to follow each presentation. Speakers will be given 30 minutes to present their ideas leaving 30 minutes for discussion and comment from the other participants. On Day 2 of the workshop following the last presentation, conference participants will be encouraged to join several discussion groups charged with identifying an agenda for future research for total survey error. Discussion leaders in each break-out group will then be given an opportunity to summarize the ideas of their groups and recommend what next steps should be taken to advance this field of research.

The workshop will be held at the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington, DC, on March 17 and 18, 2005 (beginning at 8:30 AM on Thursday and ending by 5:00 PM on Friday).

Attendance is limited to only 80 participants, and the deadline for registration is February 15, 2005.

A nominal registration fee of $100 will be charged for attendees who are not from NISS Affiliates or NISS/SAMSI University Affiliates, in order to help defray some of the costs of the workshop, but more importantly, to discourage “no-shows” since seating is very limited for this important event.