SSRS Address-Based Sample

Cost-effective Sampling Frame that Covers the Vast Majority of the U.S. Population

It’s not a method…

Address-Based Sample (ABS) is a sampling frame that uses the residential addresses in the U.S. Postal Service Computerized Delivery Sequence File provided by approved third-party vendors. SSRS’s sister company, MSG, was one of the first approved vendors, and so SSRS has a long history with ABS starting with the 2008 Massachusetts Health Interview Survey.

ABS frames include practically all mailing addresses in the United States, therefore they support both mail and multi-mode designs, including telephone and online data collection.

Address-Based Sample Advantages

Full Coverage of U.S. Households

Single Sampling Frame

ABS provides more certainty and allows for straightforward weighting protocols

Geographical Precision

ABS addresses the issues of both under-coverage and over-coverage by targeting the household rather than a telephone exchange

Heightened Response Rates

ABS can attain significantly higher response rates than today’s telephone studies, particularly when administered in multiple modes

Customizable to Specific Research Objectives

SSRS Helps Navigate the Four Ms of Address-Based Sample:

SSRS Helps to Determine Mailing Protocol: Frequency and Kind

Single vs. multiple mailings
Letters and/or postcards
Pacing and volume

Mode of Interviewing: Offer One, Multiple, or Many

Paper survey
Web survey
Telephone: Inbound calling vial 1-800 number and outbound calling from phone center

Identify the Most Effective Materials

Paper survey
Incentive
Cover letters or postcards
Multiple languages

Methodological Rigor: Design Options Customized to Meet your Needs

Options range from quick and easy to publishable in a peer-reviewed journal

SSRS has used ABS for:

Large statewide health interview surveys
Political polling in targeted geographic areas

How can we help you design and execute your research?

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