Interviewer's calling strategies on face-to-face interview surveys

In July 1995, Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) began a programme of research to take an in-depth look at the role of interviewers in the survey nonresponse „process. The programme is divided into three sub-projects. This article describes the analysis undertaken for Sub-Project 2 which deals mainly with the noncontact component of non response. The analysis is based on call record data from the random half of the 1995/96 Family Resources Survey (FRS) undertaken by SCPR. The particular aim of the analysis is to examine how day of week and time of day of calling affect (a) the probability of contact and (b) the probability of subsequently achieving a productive interview. Combining these estimates with information on costs and survey designs, definitions of efficient calling strategies can, in principle, be developed.