Tillrespondenten

Tillrespondenten is a term encountered in survey methodology, especially in Nordic contexts, referring to the person to whom a survey invitation or request for participation is addressed. It denotes the pool of individuals in the sampling frame who have been contacted and are eligible to respond, regardless of whether they ultimately complete the survey. The concept emphasizes the targeted or addressed unit in the data-collection process.

Etymologically, the word combines till, a preposition meaning to or toward in Scandinavian languages, with respondenten, the definite form of respondent. In practice, tillrespondenten is used to distinguish the addressed individual from those who actually participate (respondents) and from those who are contacted but do not respond (nonrespondents).

In fieldwork and reporting, the term helps describe the initial population available for participation. It is relevant for calculating response-related indicators, such as contact rates and response rates, and for assessing potential nonresponse bias. Researchers may track how many tillrespondenten were contacted, how many completed the survey, and how many refused or could not be reached.

Distinctions are common in Nordic reporting: the tillrespondenten is the contactable target, the respondent is someone who completes the survey, and nonrespondents are those in the tillrespondenten group who do not participate. Understanding these distinctions supports clearer presentation of methodology and more accurate interpretation of survey results.

See also: survey methodology, response rate, nonresponse bias, sampling frame.