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Best practices for panel maintenance and retention
Watson, N., Leissou, E., Guyer, H., & Wooden, M. (2018). Best practices for panel maintenance and retention. In T. P. Johnson, B-E. Pennell, I. A. L. Stoop, & B. Dorer (Eds.), Advances in Comparative Survey Methods: Multinational, Multiregional, and Multicultural Contexts (3MC) (pp. 597-622). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118884997.ch29
This chapter focuses on longitudinal surveys, the defining feature of which is the collection of repeated observations from the same units over time. Longitudinal surveys have the potential to provide rich data for analyzing the causes and consequences of change in peoples' lives. The chapter compares the reported retention rates from a range of different longitudinal studies. Only a few longitudinal studies have specifically set out to formally harmonize fieldwork practices across countries ex ante. The chapter reviews the experiences of a selection of some of the world's major longitudinal surveys in retaining sample members. It discusses the most common types of strategies used in these studies to maintain contact with sample members and encourage ongoing participation. Panel maintenance strategies are aimed at keeping in contact with sample members, especially those who are mobile, and gaining their cooperation at multiple points in time, often over a very long period.
