Consistency of data collected through online life history calendars.

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Serval ID
serval:BIB_D251E42D3EAB
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Consistency of data collected through online life history calendars.
Journal
Longitudinal and life course studies
Author(s)
Berchtold A., Wicht B., Surís J.C., Morselli D.
ISSN
1757-9597 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1757-9597
Publication state
Published
Issued date
01/06/2021
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
13
Number
1
Pages
145-168
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
The collection of longitudinal data is crucial in some domains such as life course studies. However, prospective studies are considerably costly, and thus retrospective data are an appealing alternative. A life history calendar is a tool specifically conceived to collect retrospective data. However, although it is designed to enhance the recall process of the respondents, the accuracy of the data collected through this approach remains unknown, particularly when data is collected online. In this study, we conducted a secondary analysis of data collected from n = 5,181 respondents through an online survey regarding their sexual health. Because we inquired about the occurrence of certain events twice during the survey, once using a life calendar and once through a traditional questionnaire, we were able to perform three types of consistency checks: (1) reporting of single events, (2) age when the events occurred and (3) correct timing between two events. The main results indicated that it is generally more difficult to remember the exact age of occurrence of an event than the event itself, that the report of related events is generally coherent, and that women are generally more accurate in their answers than men. Based on our results, it is therefore possible to identify a subset of persons whose answers are more consistent throughout the survey. This study also shows that data obtained through an online life history calendar can be of a quality similar to that obtained through a traditional online questionnaire.
Keywords
Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Mental Recall, Prospective Studies, Retrospective Studies, Surveys and Questionnaires, consistency checks, data accuracy, life history calendar, online data collection, retrospective data
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
30/08/2021 16:18
Last modification date
21/11/2022 9:30
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