Nonresponse Error. Part 1 - Why Response Rate Does Not Necessarily Predict Nonresponse Error

This episode explains the important distinction between response rate and nonresponse error in survey research. Drawing on principles from Dillman et al.(2014), it clarifies that a high response rate does not necessarily mean low nonresponse error, and vice versa. Through two practical examples, the episode illustrates how systematic differences between respondents and nonrespondents -- not the number of responses -- determine the presence of nonresponse error. The episode emphasizes that evaluating survey quality requires more than just looking at response rates; it requires understanding potential bias in who does and does not respond.