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Survey sponsors and/or vendors must track the disposition of returned questionnaires and determine the extent to which they are complete. Most survey vendors will provide summaries of the data they have collected. A crucial component of these reports is detailed information about the number and characteristics of those included in the original sample, as well as the number and characteristics of those responding to the survey. This information is essential for publishing accurate results that precisely define the sample, calculating response rates, and assessing the representativeness of respondents. 

Reporting the Dispositions of Respondents

Vendors should provide records of everyone included in the sample. These records should specify known characteristics of these individuals (e.g., age, sex), and their “dispositions” or result codes. For example, the result codes or disposition for each individual in the sample should include indications of whether the sampled individual:

• Returned the mail survey (and how many times the survey was sent before a response was received).
• Participated in a telephone interview (and how many attempted calls were made).
• Participated in an online survey.
• Did not respond for unknown reasons.
• Was ineligible to participate in the study and why.
• Had an inaccurate address/phone number/email address.
• Was deceased.
• Refused to participate.

The tracking system should also include the language of the completed survey/interview and the return date (for mail surveys) or date answered (for phone and online surveys). An interim result code reflects the status of the case during the different rounds of data collection; a final result code reflects the status at the end of data collection. These codes are used to calculate response rates.

Assessing Whether Surveys Are Complete

Codes for respondents should also indicate whether the questionnaire was completed, partially completed, or incomplete. 

• Complete questionnaire: A “complete” survey can be defined in various ways. One example of a complete questionnaire is where respondents completed at least half of the key survey items and at least one reportable item (i.e., not just a descriptive characteristic). 
• Partially completed questionnaire: An example is a questionnaire that contains responses for at least one reportable item, but less than half of the key items. Data from partially completed questionnaires can be used for analysis and reporting.
• Incomplete questionnaire: A questionnaire is incomplete if the individual does not respond to at least one reportable item.