Data Collection in Cross‐national and International Surveys

This chapter provides an overview of common themes in data collection challenges around the world and highlights solutions that have been developed to address these, which are elaborated on in the regional case studies. It examines recent developments in survey data collection, focusing on the continued growth of multinational, multiregional, and multicultural (3MC) studies and the proliferation of surveys generally worldwide, particularly in countries with relatively little survey research tradition. The chapter discusses the large increase in the number of both data collection software tools and devices in both high and lower development countries. Conflict situations present a myriad of challenges for survey data collection. A key challenge in areas with relatively little survey research tradition and experience is the availability, coverage properties, and quality of sampling frames or the availability of population registers, which may be used as sampling frames.