Collecting Income Data on Sample Surveys: Evidence from Split-Panel Studies

Abstract

This article presents the results of two split-panel studies, one local and one national, which attempt to measure the effect of four questionnaire variants on the reporting of income in sample surveys. The results tend to support the hypothesis that the more summary the treatment of subject, the less complete is the reporting of income. The observed differences in the results from the different variants, however, were not as large as was anticipated.