Decision-making and data quality: Applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel data

Survey panels provide extension professionals with a valuable tool for collecting data on a wide range of topics without overburdening their program participants. Paid data panels are particularly useful for gathering unbiased feedback about Extension programs. However, some survey participants in t...

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Main Authors: Amy Harder, Lendel K. Narine, Stacey Stearns
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Advancements in Agricultural Development Inc 2025-03-01
Series:Advancements in Agricultural Development
Subjects:
Online Access:https://agdevresearch.org/index.php/aad/article/view/573
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author Amy Harder
Lendel K. Narine
Stacey Stearns
author_facet Amy Harder
Lendel K. Narine
Stacey Stearns
author_sort Amy Harder
collection DOAJ
description Survey panels provide extension professionals with a valuable tool for collecting data on a wide range of topics without overburdening their program participants. Paid data panels are particularly useful for gathering unbiased feedback about Extension programs. However, some survey participants in these panels engage in satisficing or straightlining behaviors to earn rewards with minimal effort, which compromises data quality. This study explored whether survey panelists’ perceptions of online survey items varied based on response quality. It compared normal and low-quality responses across broad issue areas and investigated whether age, education, income, or gender identity influenced these differences. Analysis of 94 respondents in each group revealed no significant data quality differences based on age, education, income, or gender identity. There was a statistically significant difference in data quality when using an open-ended question requiring greater cognitive effort. We recommend adopting more conservative data cleaning strategies. While this approach has limitations, its benefits are particularly valuable when the data informs an organization’s strategic priorities.
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spelling doaj-art-494422fe514b42d4818c95fa5ed95a972025-08-20T02:59:57ZengAdvancements in Agricultural Development IncAdvancements in Agricultural Development2690-50782025-03-016110.37433/aad.v6i1.573Decision-making and data quality: Applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel dataAmy Harder0Lendel K. Narine1Stacey Stearns2University of Connecticut, USAUtah State University, USAUniversity of Connecticut, USASurvey panels provide extension professionals with a valuable tool for collecting data on a wide range of topics without overburdening their program participants. Paid data panels are particularly useful for gathering unbiased feedback about Extension programs. However, some survey participants in these panels engage in satisficing or straightlining behaviors to earn rewards with minimal effort, which compromises data quality. This study explored whether survey panelists’ perceptions of online survey items varied based on response quality. It compared normal and low-quality responses across broad issue areas and investigated whether age, education, income, or gender identity influenced these differences. Analysis of 94 respondents in each group revealed no significant data quality differences based on age, education, income, or gender identity. There was a statistically significant difference in data quality when using an open-ended question requiring greater cognitive effort. We recommend adopting more conservative data cleaning strategies. While this approach has limitations, its benefits are particularly valuable when the data informs an organization’s strategic priorities. https://agdevresearch.org/index.php/aad/article/view/573SDG 4: Quality Educationonline surveyssurvey straightlininglow-quality indicatorsextension professionals
spellingShingle Amy Harder
Lendel K. Narine
Stacey Stearns
Decision-making and data quality: Applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel data
Advancements in Agricultural Development
SDG 4: Quality Education
online surveys
survey straightlining
low-quality indicators
extension professionals
title Decision-making and data quality: Applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel data
title_full Decision-making and data quality: Applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel data
title_fullStr Decision-making and data quality: Applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel data
title_full_unstemmed Decision-making and data quality: Applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel data
title_short Decision-making and data quality: Applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel data
title_sort decision making and data quality applying fraud response strategies to clean survey panel data
topic SDG 4: Quality Education
online surveys
survey straightlining
low-quality indicators
extension professionals
url https://agdevresearch.org/index.php/aad/article/view/573
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