Quality Control

No matter how sophisticated reporting and analysis standards are, when the quality of raw data from quantitative fieldwork has gone astray, so do the conclusions and recommendations in the report.

Any research practitioner with some years of experience will have come across dodgy data that carry all the dreaded hallmarks of fudging or “Massaging”. Needless to say that major decisions influenced by such misleading information could result in catastrophic results. As the saying goes: “Rubbish in – rubbish out”.

Data integrity tops Incite’s priority list. Membership of professional research organisations such as MRS and ESOMAR is all very well, but to what extent is a pledge to adhere to a code of conduct actually implemented in reality when researchers are under constant pressure to turn surveys around faster and faster? And do the quality checks performed by most agencies not mean they are checking their own work? Does this not give rise to certain temptations? And how transparent are these measures with the client?

Just like other agencies, Incite’s field management implement quality checks, but there is one significant difference and that is that independent Quality Controllers from World Research Alliance – of which Incite is a member – verify that this due diligence has been executed correctly and fully. In short, Incite’s quality control measures are audited. You can download WRA’s Code of Conduct by clicking here.

Face-to-Face Interviews with Respondent Contact Details

• • In the case of completed paper questionnaires, field supervisors fully logic-check all forms before data entry.
  • Field supervisors back-check at least 30% of interviews through recorded (with the permission of the respondents) call-backs.
  • Quality Controllers – independent from the field team – listen to all the recordings in full or in part, depending on the evident quality.
  • Furthermore, the quality controllers back-check another 10% over and above the QA measures taken by field staff and 10% of the interviews already checked by supervisors.

F2F Interviews without Contact Details (e.g. Intercept Interviews)

• • On site continuous surveillance by field supervisors.
  • Quality controllers monitor procedings with or without the knowledge of the field team.
  • In the case of completed paper questionnaires, field supervisors fully logic-check the forms before data entry.

Telephone Interviews

• • Depending on government regulations in a country, all telephone interviews are recorded and quality controllers – independent from the field team – listen to at least 30% of the recordings per interviewer.
  • If government regulations prohibit the recording of telephone interviews, field supervisors back-check at least 30% of interviews per interviewer through recorded (with the permission of the respondents) call-backs.
  • Quality controllers listen to all the recordings in full or in part, depending on the evident quality.
  • Furthermore, the quality controllers back-check another 10% over and above the quality measures taken by field staff and 10% of the interviews already checked by the supervisors.

Self-Completion Online Questionnaires

• • In case contact details are not available – e.g. completes from a panel – the data analyst assigned to the survey verifies that the IP addresses correspond with the areas of residence the respondents claim to live.
  • Furthermore, the analyst checks the completion time (starting and duration) to help validate data integrity.
  • With contact details, field management back-check at least 30% of interviews through recorded (with the permission of the respondents) call-backs.
  • Quality controllers listen to all the recordings in full or in part, depending on the evident quality.
  • Furthermore, the quality controllers back-check another 10% over and above the quality measures taken by field staff and 10% of the interviews already checked by the supervisors.

Data Validation

• • The data analyst assigned to the survey, checks the entered raw data both manually and through a validation program.
  • Thorough validation only leaves fully completed questionnaires with consistent answers.