The Center for Panel Survey Sciences is dedicated to researching and developing best practices in probability-based panel surveys. The innovative methods we explore include:

• Constructing appropriate sample frames
• Sampling potential panelists
  
• Providing tailored design strategies to enlist panelists at the highest recruitment rates
• Empaneling effectively after recruitment
• Retaining panelists
• Maintaining high levels of engagement and increasing response to subsequent surveys

We offer in-depth research on the challenges—and solutions—particular to multi-client probability-based survey panels, such as attrition, conditioning, mode effects, and panel nonresponse. The Center also provides expertise in building a range of panels, from those of the general population to highly specialized panels of small groups such as young adults, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, STEM workers, or persons ages 50 and older.

Based on our experience and expertise, we provide perspectives on best practices in panel surveys, such as the use of nonresponse follow-up recruitment strategies, trap questions, and other techniques to ensure data quality, the use of emerging technologies for panel surveys, and the importance of finding methods to survey Americans that do not access the internet.

Our research continually explores how to ensure high-quality, valid, reliable data from probability-based panels. With AmeriSpeak®, the Center has a rich data source to execute a range of research projects.

Our most recent work includes:

• Multi-mode recruitment and data collection strategies
• The use of Big Data to model panelist characteristics
• The impact of panelist psychological and personality-based attributes on survey nonresponse
  
• Measurements of panel conditioning and its effect on data quality
• Explorations of panelist attitudes and behaviors as they relate to election survey research on panels.

Our research seeks greater insight into the various potential error sources (coverage, sampling, nonresponse, measurement, and processing) that can occur during the panel and survey lifecycle. The Center has a rich, ambitious, and ongoing research program on probability-based panels, as well as a team of experts to help in building, maintaining, and using probability-based panels.

The Center includes an Expert Advisory Board made up of the following internationally recognized thought leaders in panel research:

• Annelies Blom, University of Bremen, Germany
• Nancy Brigham, Dynata
• Trent D. Buskirk, Bowling Green State University
• Mario Callegaro, Google
• LinChiat Chang, Independent Consultant
• Joshua D. Clinton, Vanderbilt University
• Carina Cornesse, German Institute for Economic Research
• Ricardo Gonzalez, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez
• D. Sunshine Hillygus, Duke University
• Josh Pasek, University of Michigan
• Laura Wronski, Survey Monkey
• Weiyu Zhang, National University of Singapore

Our Expertise:

• Sampling
• Recruitment Materials Design
• Retainment
• Multi-Mode Research
• Nonresponse Follow Up
• Perspectives on Research
• Original Research: Papers, Conference Presentations, and Internal Research Briefs
  

Representative Research:

• Do They Exist? Experiment to Assess Panel Effects and Opinionation Effects in AmeriSpeak® Panel Surveys
• The Lifecycle of a Probability Panelist
• Examination of Panelists’ Reported Satisfaction, Response, and Retention over Time in a Multi-Purpose Probability Sample Panel
• The Challenge of Recruiting Teens: Examining Recruitment Methods for a Nationally Representative Probability-based Teen Panel
• Examination of Auxiliary Information Appended to Address Based Samples in Mixed Mode Studies
• How Does AmeriSpeak Panel Recruit, Engage, and Retain Diverse and Hard-to Recruit Segments of the U.S. Population?
• Panel Effects Exists? Results from a Year 2 Follow-up Experiment to Assess Panel Conditioning Effects in AmeriSpeak® Panel Surveys
• The Impact of Displaying Cash via Window Envelope During Mail Contact When Recruiting to a Probability Based Panel
  
• Predicting Future Participation in AmeriSpeak Panel
• Strategies to Recruit and Represent Low Incidence Population Groups and Engender Sample Diversity in a Probability Panel
• Transparency in Documentation for Statistical Surveys using a Probability Panel
• The Undercounted: Measuring the Impact of 'Nonresponse Follow-up' on Research Data
• TrueNorth 2.0: An Advanced Calibration Tool for Combining Probability and Nonprobability Samples
• Response Rate Calculation Methodology for Recruitment of a Two-Phase Probability-Based Panel: The Case of AmeriSpeak
• Nonresponse Follow-up Impact on AmeriSpeak Panel Sample Composition and Representativeness
• Panel Recruitment for Spanish Speaking Populations: The AmeriSpeak® Case Study
• Comparing the Probability-Based AmeriSpeak Panel and the In-Person 2016 General Social Survey: Mode, Device, Item Wording Experiments
• Bias Reduction through Rural Coverage for the AmeriSpeak Panel