Survey nonresponse bias occurs when survey respondents differ systematically from nonrespondents on key variables pertaining to the survey topic. For example, if an organization is conducting an engagement survey and those who complete the survey have different levels of engagement than those who choose not to respond, then nonresponse bias exists.

Implications of Survey Nonresponse Bias

The impact of nonresponse on survey results depends on the percentage of people not responding and the extent to which nonrespondents systematically differ from the population on survey-specific variables. If survey nonresponse bias exists, it can skew the results and conclusions of the survey and thus limit the generalizability of inferences made from survey results to the population of interest.

Relationship Between Response Rates and Survey Nonresponse Bias

Low survey response rates ...

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