Nonsampling error

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ECS-001298",
  "term": "Nonsampling error",
  "field": "Economic statistics",
  "definition": "Includes all factors other than sampling error that contribute to the total error of an estimate.\n\nTotal survey error can be classified into two categories: sampling error and nonsampling error.\n\nNonsampling error:\n\n• includes measurement errors due to interviewers, respondents, instruments, and mode; nonresponse error; coverage error; and processing error.\n\n• may be attributed to many sources: inability to identify all cases in the actual universe; definition and classification difficulties; differences in the interpretation of questions: errors in recording or coding the data obtained; and other errors of collection, response, coverage, processing and estimation for missing or misreported data.\n\n• can yield biased results when most of the errors distort the results in the same direction. Unfortunately, the full extent of nonsampling error is unknown. Decennial censuses traditionally have experienced nonsampling errors, most notable undercount, resulting from people being missed in the enumeration processes.",
  "see_also": [
    "Sampling error"
  ],
  "references": [
    "U.S. Census Bureau Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/economic-statistics/nonsampling-error/"
}