Exploring and reducing the nonresponse bias by asking the basic question

Abstract

The Basic Question Procedure (BQP) is a method to explore, estimate and reduce nonresponse bias. It consists of asking one question, the basic question of the survey, to nonrespondents who really cannot be persuaded to participate in the survey (refusal, not-at-home, illness, etc.). Estimates for all nonrespondents can be calculated by stratifying, according to type of nonresponse, the nonrespondents who answer the basic question. In this way insight is obtained in the bias which may affect the survey estimates. The method was applied in the Dutch Housing Demand Survey 1981.