Biases in Random Route Surveys

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Abstract
Although random routes are an important face-to-face sampling method, there is very little research about the procedure. The idea that random route sampling leads to a uniform selection of households has never been tested. This study challenges this notion in a simulation and uses registration office data to verify the impact of selection errors on survey results. All tested routes strongly violate the equal probability assumption and lead to biased expected values in multiple variables. The strongest errors were found in variables that were related to the spatial location of households. Furthermore, errors were related not only to random route instructions but also to the selection of starting points for these routes. This study is of relevance for scientists using random route data for their research as well as for surveys applying random route procedures. Data analysts can use the results to gain an impression about the degree of bias, whereas researchers that use random route samples should view these findings as inducement to improve the random route methodology and develop alternatives.

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