ikkesvarjustering

Ikkesvarjustering, a term originating from Scandinavian languages, broadly translates to "non-response adjustment" in English. It refers to a set of statistical techniques employed to mitigate potential biases that can arise in surveys or data collection efforts when a portion of the intended sample does not participate or provide complete data. This non-response can be due to various reasons, such as refusal, inability to be contacted, or incomplete answers to certain questions.

The primary goal of ikkesvarjustering is to make the results of a survey more representative of the target population. When non-response is not random, the group of respondents may differ systematically from the non-respondents. For example, if a survey about political opinions has a higher non-response rate among certain age groups, the survey findings might not accurately reflect the views of the entire population.

Common methods for ikkesvarjustering include weighting adjustments, imputation, and modeling. Weighting involves assigning different weights to respondents based on their characteristics to compensate for over- or under-representation of certain groups in the sample. Imputation involves filling in missing data points with estimated values, often based on the responses of similar individuals. More complex modeling techniques can also be used to understand the patterns of non-response and adjust the estimates accordingly.

The effectiveness of ikkesvarjustering depends on the availability of auxiliary information about both respondents and non-respondents and the underlying assumptions about the non-response mechanism. Researchers must carefully consider the potential impact of these adjustments on the precision and validity of their findings.