Using Google Maps and Google Street View to Validate Interviewer Observations and Predict Non-response: A Test Case

Authors

  • Anina Vercruyssen KU Leuven
  • Geert Loosveldt KU Leuven

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18148/srm/2017.v11i3.6301

Keywords:

auxiliary data, paradata, interviewer observations, survey non-response, Google Street View, Google Maps

Abstract

Researchers have been looking for easily accessible and straightforwardly useable paradata and auxiliary data to improve survey data. Lately, there is also attention for the evaluation and validation of this external data, such as the assessment of the quality of interviewer-generated paradata. For these purposes, we investigated how useful Google Street View can be as auxiliary data and whether it allows us to assess the quality of interviewer observations on the houses and neighbourhoods of sample units. Additionally, we test whether Google Maps can inform us about the reachability of sample units and which data can predict non-response better. Although it is rather simple to use Google Maps and Street View in daily life, using it to code auxiliary data for surveys is more challenging than expected. Hence, this paper also offers a thorough discussion of the pitfalls of coding these auxiliary data as well as their current solutions.

Author Biographies

Anina Vercruyssen, KU Leuven

Post-doctoral researcher at Centre for Survey Methodology, KU Leuven

Geert Loosveldt, KU Leuven

Professor in Sociology at Centre for Sociological Research, KU Leuven; Head of Centre for Survey Methodology, KU Leuven

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2017-10-20

How to Cite

Vercruyssen, A., & Loosveldt, G. (2017). Using Google Maps and Google Street View to Validate Interviewer Observations and Predict Non-response: A Test Case. Survey Research Methods, 11(3), 345–360. https://doi.org/10.18148/srm/2017.v11i3.6301

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.