Interviewer Monitoring Form (IMF)

An interviewer monitoring form (IMF) is a framework or set of guidelines used to facilitate interviewer monitoring. A carefully developed IMF is central to the development of standardized processes for measuring interviewer-related error and conducting interviewer training and debriefing. The primary purpose for developing an IMF is to minimize interviewer effects and increase interviewer productivity. This entry contains a brief summary of what is known about interviewer monitoring forms, why they are used, and what they should include.

It is widely accepted that interviewer behavior can be a significant source of measurement error in surveys and that effort to observe and reduce this error is a necessary element of conducting survey research whenever interviewers are used to collect data. Interviewer monitoring forms are typically used to ...