Data Processing: Errors and Their Control
Paul P. Biemer, Lars E. Lyberg · 2003
Data processing is a set of activities aimed at converting the survey data from its raw state as the output from data collection to a cleaned and corrected state that can be used in analysis, presentation and dissemination. The sequence of data processing steps range from the simple to the complex, involving data entry, editing, coding, file preparation, and dissemination of an output file. Data processing operations may be prone to human error when performed manually. Automation can reduce errors caused by manual processing but may introduce new errors specific to the technology used. In this chapter we describe the main processing operations, their error structures and the measures that can be taken to control and reduce these errors.