Response Rate Section
AAPOR’s survey standards distinguish response rates from related measures such as cooperation, refusal, and contact rates, so a reported “response rate” should be tied to a defined calculation and disposition framework. This guidance is primarily for surveys and similar response-based designs. Other study types may use retention, completion, follow-up, or participation measures instead of a survey response rate.
A Response Rate section reports the survey response metric used and enough information about the denominator or disposition rules for readers to understand how the rate was obtained.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
This guidance is primarily for surveys and similar response-based designs. Other study types may use retention, completion, follow-up, or participation measures instead of a survey response rate.
Further guidance
Content
Name the response-rate definition or standard used where applicable, report the numerator and denominator logic or case dispositions needed to understand it, and keep response rate distinct from cooperation, refusal, or completion measures.
Purpose
A Response Rate section reports the survey response metric used and enough information about the denominator or disposition rules for readers to understand how the rate was obtained.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Response Rates — AAPOR (opens in a new tab)American Association for Public Opinion Research · Professional standards resource distinguishing response, cooperation, refusal, and contact rate concepts for surveys.