SRC Seminar Series Presents: Efforts to Reduce Nonresponse Error in Public Opinion Polling
Courtney Kennedy, VP of Methods and Innovation Pew Research Center
When:
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 2:00-3:30
2:00-3:00 Seminar
3:00-3:30 Questions and Collaboration
Where:
1430BD ISR-Thompson
426 Thompson St.
Join via Zoom:
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 968 0888 4937
Passcode: 177406
Abstract
Differential nonresponse is a major threat to public opinion polls. In the past, a person’s political outlook was not a particularly reliable predictor of whether they would participate in surveys. Now it is. Polling organizations are implementing numerous strategies to combat this challenge. This presentation covers the nonresponse challenge from the perspective of Pew Research Center, a national nonpartisan polling organization. The talk will present data on the scope of the challenge in Pew polling, which includes an address-based-recruited panel and an annual multimodal cross-sectional survey. It will also cover novel ways that Pew is trying to reduce nonresponse bias.
Bio
Courtney Kennedy is Vice President of Methods and Innovation at Pew Research Center. She supervises the Center’s survey design and data science teams. Her research focuses on nonresponse, weighting, modes of administration and sampling frames. Kennedy has a doctorate from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from the University of Maryland, both in survey methodology. She received bachelor’s degrees from the University of Michigan in statistics and political science.