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Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency Sixth Edition (2017) / Chapter Skim
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Practice 10: An Active Research Program
Pages 105-108

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From page 105...
... For example, public-use files of statistical microdata were developed in response to the analytic needs of government and academic researchers. Beginning with an understanding of the variety of uses and users of an agency's data, more in-depth research on the policy uses of an agency's information might, for example, explore the use of data in microsimulation and other economic models that are used in decision making (see National Research Council, 1991a,b, 1997a, 2000b, 2001b, 2003a, 2010d)
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From page 106...
... The leaders of a statistical agency should take steps to ensure that the agency's subject-matter analysts and its methodological and operational staff are able to interact in a constructive manner. Overcoming barriers to communication is essential so that insights from subject-matter analysis can be translated effectively into improved data collection program design, methodology, and operations.
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From page 107...
... ; • addressing challenges for computer-assisted interviews, which have included lengthy times to implement questionnaire changes and difficulty in providing adequate documentation of questionnaire content and pathways (see National Research Council, 2003c) ; • understanding and minimizing mode effects on quality when obtaining data in two or more different ways (Internet, mail, telephone, and face-to-face response; see National Research Council, 2007b)
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From page 108...
... It also seeks out academic and industry expertise for improving data collection, processing, and dissemination operations. For example, a statistical agency can learn techniques and best practices for improving software development processes from computer scientists (see National Research Council, 2003c, 2004d)
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Key Terms

  • statistical agencies
  • methodological research
  • federal statistical
  • survey error
  • improving data

  • total survey
  • substantive research
  • relevant international
  • international organizations
  • ample opportunity

  • collection programs
  • feasibility testing
  • strongly support
  • dissemination operations
  • error framework

  • operational procedures
  • constructive manner
  • support methodological
  • agency actively
  • agency leaders

  • improve statistical
  • substantive issues
  • build networks
  • nonsurvey data
  • economic models

  • statistical activities
  • data collections
  • developing measures
  • multiple data
  • economic accounts


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