United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Execution of Post Enumeration Surveys Pres. 4

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES Pilot-test  This can be a dress rehearsal of the actual PES as the pilot census is a dress rehearsal of the census  It can be conducted in selected administrative divisions (taking into account costs)  The purpose of the pilot test is to test the adequacy of the entire PES plan and its organization  It should be conducted in conditions similar to the actual enumeration of the actual PES

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Pilot test contd.  Thus, it should follow immediately the census pilot test  While it is not a source of usable data it provides insights into operational aspects of data collection that can contribute to a successful conduct of a PES and census  Ideally it should be taken a year before the actual PES just as a pilot census is taken a year before a census (UN, 2008 P&R)

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Pilot test contd.  Provides an opportunity to test questions and the overall field methodology before mounting the PES  It also offers a chance to test the matching and analytical procedures  Results of the Pilot test contribute to establishment of matching rules, reconciliation procedures and logistical flows of documents between PES and census  Estimates of precision for the PES can be made based on pilot test results, such as sampling errors

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Data collection  Method commonly used in a PES is the face-to-face interview  Enumerators go to households, in selected EAS/clusters, and interview respondents  They collect information by asking questions from a PES questionnaire  This method provides an opportunity for probing  Enumerators can explain the objectives of the PES to respondents

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Questionnaire  It should be based on the final census questionnaire in order to facilitate objective evaluation of the census  The format and size of questionnaire are important for recording of responses and for data capture  Pre-testing of questionnaire is imperative

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Qualities of a good questionnaire  Should enable the collection of accurate data  Facilitates the work of data collection, processing and tabulation  Ensures economy in data collection, thus, avoiding collection of superfluous information  Permits comprehensive and meaningful analysis of data

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Selection and training of field staff  Enumerators are the interface with respondents  Their work is critical to the success of the PES field work  Their selection, is therefore, critical and should be done objectively  In general, an enumerator should be able to communicate with respondents and have qualities needed to collect accurate information in a timely manner

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Selection and training of field staff contd.  Must have adequate level of education and should be able to record information honestly  The enumerator should follow instructions in the enumerator’s manual  They should be thoroughly trained before being assigned field work  The main objective of training is to enhance uniformity and minimize measurement error during interviews

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Training  Qualified instructors well versed with the objectives of the PES should be responsible for training  It is advisable that the trainers should be part of the PES planning and implementation teams  Trainees should take turns in explaining to others various items in the questionnaire  Practical lessons are essential both in the classroom and the field. Based on performance trainees can be retained as enumerators or dismissed

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) The role of supervisors  Despite good training of enumerators, without good supervision, in the field, there may be inaccurate results  Need for dedicated and effective supervision  Supervisors should be more experienced and better qualified than enumerators  Like enumerators, they should undergo extensive training in all aspects of the PES

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) The role of supervisors contd.  Supposed to organize work for enumerators by determining field assignments  They review completed work and maintain a high commitment of enumerators to the PES  A supervisor can make follow-up visits to non-respondents as they are better qualified and experienced  There should be a manageable ratio between enumerators and a supervisor 1 to 5 should be okay

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Field data collection  During data collection objective is to classify individuals by enumeration status relative to census night  Use of probing is necessary  Some of the socio-demographic variables included in the census questionnaire are: (a) Age (b) Sex (c) Relationship to reference person or head (d) Marital status (e) Education level

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Attributes of good PES data collection  Timing of PES soon after census  Maintain operational independence  Ensure quality assurance  Control, to the extent possible, non-sampling errors

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Control of non-sampling errors  Should be controlled and reduced to the level that their presence does not compromise the usefulness of the PES results  Particularly harmful when they are non-random because they introduce bias in the PES estimates  Bias is difficult to measure  Best way to control non-sampling error is to follow the right procedures in all PES activities

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Implementation of PES (contd.) Factors contributing to non-sampling error  Vague objectives of the PES  Duplication or omissions due to imprecise definition of boundaries of EAs  Inappropriate methods of interviewing  Lack of trained and experienced field interviewers and supervisors  Inadequate identification particulars of sampling units  Errors occurring in data processing

United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: Census Evaluation and Post Enumeration Surveys, Asunción, Paraguay, 3-7 August 2009 Thank You!