4159.0.55.002 - General Social Survey: User Guide, Australia, 2010

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 07/12/2011

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Contents >> Survey methodology >> Response Rates and Sample Achieved

RESPONSE RATES AND SAMPLE ACHIEVED

The initial sample selection of approximately 19,576 private dwellings was reduced to approximately 17,158 dwellings due to the loss of households which had no residents in scope for the survey and where dwellings proved to be vacant, under construction or derelict. Of the eligible dwellings remaining, 87.6% responded fully (or adequately), which yielded a total sample from the survey of 15,028 dwellings. The following table shows the number of fully responding households achieved for each state and territory, and the corresponding response rate achieved in the 2010 GSS.

2010 GSS

	NSW	VIC	QLD	SA	WA	TAS	NT	ACT	Australia

Fully responding sample achieved(a) ('000)	2 166	2 143	1 966	1 738	1 911	1 951	1 243	1 910	15 028
Response rate(b) (%)	81.3	80.4	88.4	90.1	93.4	94.4	88.5	88.4	87.6

(a) Includes fully or adequately responding dwellings
(b) Of eligible dwellings, excluding sample loss

Some survey respondents provided most of the required information, but were unable or unwilling to provide a response to certain data items. The records for these persons were retained in the sample, and contribute to the fully responding count, and the missing values were recorded as 'don't know' or 'not stated'. No attempt was made to deduce or impute for these missing values. Approximately 2,551 respondents (15%) did not provide one or more required answers but were deemed to have responded adequately.