United Kingdom (English)Have you ever started a survey, only to be told part-way through that you're not eligible to complete it? This can be a frustrating experience. You might feel like your time has been wasted or that your opinions don't matter. But there's actually a good reason for this. It's all about something called the 'screening process'. In the world of market research, the screening process is an essential step in ensuring the validity of survey results. This article provides a simple, in-depth explanation of how screening works and why you might sometimes be screened out of a survey.
What is the Screening Process?
The screening process is a preliminary phase of any survey. At the start of a survey, you'll often be asked some basic questions. These questions are not just idle curiosity on the part of the researchers. They serve a crucial purpose: to determine whether you fit into the specific group that the survey is designed to study.
This group is called the 'target audience'. It can be defined by a wide range of characteristics. These could include factors about who you are, or something more specific – like the products you use. The exact criteria will depend on the objectives of the research study. For instance, a survey on skincare habits might people who use skincare products daily.
Why Might You Be Screened Out?
There are a few reasons why you might be screened out of a survey:
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Not the Right Fit
The most common reason for being screened out is simply not fitting into the target demographic for the survey. For example, a survey might be designed to gather data on the shopping habits of millennials. If you're a “baby boomer”, you'll likely be screened out.
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Overrepresentation
Sometimes, a survey might get too many answers from people within certain groups. A survey about work might receive a lot of responses from full-time employees. If it gets too many, it might stop accepting more responses from full-time employees, and focus on people who work part-time instead. This is done so that the survey results represent a balanced view of the population.
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We want honest answers
We want reliable data that we can trust. Sometimes, answers to the screening questions can seem inconsistent or unlikely. They might look like someone may not be telling the truth or giving accurate information. Those people might be eliminated from the survey. This is so we can be confident in our results.
Being screened out of a survey doesn't mean that your opinions don't matter. It's a necessary step to make sure that the survey collects relevant and accurate data. If you do find yourself eliminated from a survey, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try another one. Why not see which surveys are available to you today?
