Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing
Encyclopedia
Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) is a telephone
surveying
technique in which the interviewer follows a script provided by a software application. It is a structured system of microdata
collection by telephone that speeds up the collection and editing of microdata
and also permits the interviewer to educate the respondents on the importance of timely and accurate data. The software is able to customize the flow of the questionnaire based on the answers provided, as well as information already known about the participant.
CATI may function in the following manner
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
surveying
Statistical survey
Survey methodology is the field that studies surveys, that is, the sample of individuals from a population with a view towards making statistical inferences about the population using the sample. Polls about public opinion, such as political beliefs, are reported in the news media in democracies....
technique in which the interviewer follows a script provided by a software application. It is a structured system of microdata
Microdata
Microdata Corporation was an Irvine, California based computer company, developing hardware and operating systems to run its REALITY environment...
collection by telephone that speeds up the collection and editing of microdata
Microdata
Microdata Corporation was an Irvine, California based computer company, developing hardware and operating systems to run its REALITY environment...
and also permits the interviewer to educate the respondents on the importance of timely and accurate data. The software is able to customize the flow of the questionnaire based on the answers provided, as well as information already known about the participant.
CATI may function in the following manner
- A computerized questionnaire is administered to respondents over the telephone.
- The interviewer sits in front of a computer screen
- Upon command, the computer dials the telephone number to be called.
- When contact is made, the interviewer reads the questions posed on the computer screen and records the respondent's answers directly into the computer.
- Interim and update reports can be compiled instantaneously, as the data are being collected.
- CATI software has built-in logic, which also enhances data accuracy.
- The program will personalize questions and control for logically incorrect answers, such as percentage answers that do not add up to 100 percent.
- The software has built-in branching logic, which will skip questions that are not applicable or will probe for more detail when warranted.
See also
- Computer-assisted web interviewing
- Computer-assisted personal interviewing
- Automated computer telephone interviewingAutomated computer telephone interviewingAutomated Computer Telephone Interviewing is a telephone surveying technique by which a computer with speaker independent voice recognition capabilities asks respondents a series of questions, recognizes then stores the answers, and is able to follow scripted logic and branch intelligently...
- Official statisticsOfficial statisticsOfficial statistics are statistics published by government agencies or other public bodies such as international organizations. They provide quantitative or qualitative information on all major areas of citizens' lives, such as economic and social development, living conditions, health, education,...
- Bureau of Labor StatisticsBureau of Labor StatisticsThe Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...