1. Weighting Adjustments Can Help With Low Response Rates, but at What Cost to Data Quality?
For
2019 Joint Statistical Meetings
July 29, 2019 | Denver, CO By
Chrishelle Lawrence, Mathematical Statistician

2. Survey Background
The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) has been conducted periodically since 1978 to collect energy characteristics, usage patterns, and household demographics from a nationally representative sample of housing units.
The next RECS will shift from a mainly in-person survey to web and mail questionnaires.
A national pilot RECS was conducted using web and mail questionnaires had a response rate of 40%.
Chrishelle Lawrence, JSM 2019
Denver, CO, 7/29/19

3. Research Questions
Using the RECS pilot results, how will the weights and estimates respond when
The response rate is reduced by half?
Only single-family homes respond?
Only multi-family homes respond?
The only responses come from the web?
Chrishelle Lawrence, JSM 2019
Denver, CO, 7/29/19

4. Preparing the data
Several data sets were created from the national pilot (NP) study (n = 3,654):
Respondents only allowed to use the web (n = 807)
Web-submitted questionnaires only (n = 2,325)
Respondents in single-family homes (n = 2,870)
Respondents in multi-family homes (n = 784)
50 samples using half of the respondents (ni = 1,827)
50 samples using all single-family homes and half of the multi-family homes (ni = 3,262)
50 samples using all multi-family homes and half of the single-family homes (ni = 2,219)
Chrishelle Lawrence, JSM 2019
Denver, CO, 7/29/19

5. The Evaluation Process
To get new final weights, the original design weights were adjusted for nonresponse and then post-stratified to known control totals.
Division and housing unit type (single-family or multi-family) were used for both adjustments
Estimates using the new final weights were compared to estimates from the national pilot study.
Weights were compared to determine the impact of varying response/non-response.
Chrishelle Lawrence, JSM 2019
Denver, CO, 7/29/19

6. Poster Presentation Session # July 9:25 AM Chrishelle Lawrence
Chrishelle Lawrence, JSM 2019
Denver, CO, 7/29/19