Study of Editing and Imputation Practices at Statistics Finland

1. Study of Editing and Imputation Practices at Statistics Finland Janika Konnu and Pauli Ollila Statistics Finland Q2010: Editing session Wednesday 5th of May, 11.00-12.30

2. Editing Project of Statistics Finland • Development project of two years • Targets: to provide good E&I practices, help in making statistics more effective, improve quality, diminish work load, save costs. INTERNAL E&I STUDY OF STATFI EXTERNAL E&I STUDY DEVELOPMENTAL WORK FOR THE NEEDS OF STATFI INFORMATION AND EDUCATION Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

3. Internal E&I Study of StatFi INTERNAL E&I STUDY OF STATFI • Forms the basis for the work of the project. • Describes the current E&I situation at StatFi. • Reveals points where the developmental resources should be allocated in later phases of the project. SURVEY OF E&I PRACTICES AT STATFI DETAILED STUDIES OF E&I IN SOME STATISTICS OTHER STUDIES (e.g. auditing reports) Part 1 Pauli Ollila Part 2 Janika Konnu Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

4. SURVEY OF E&I PRACTICES AT STATFI Survey of E&I Practices at StatFi • Conducted in January 2010. A web questionnaire was used. • Directed to all statistics of StatFi, providing information from all relevant statistics (exceptions: statistics were finished, were to be finished, were in transition etc.) • Equivalence = one response equals also one or more other statistics Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

5. SURVEY OF E&I PRACTICES AT STATFI Topics of E&I Survey • The survey tried to cover all important aspects connected to editing and imputation. • The question pattern was commented and tested with E&I and survey experts together with subject matter people. • The structure allowed open-space commenting on every page. This proved to be a very valuable asset. SURVEYS, REGISTERS, SOURCE DATA DATA COLLECTION METHODS PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS ERROR RECOGNITION PRACTICES MISSING VALUE PRINCIPLES ERROR CORRECTION AND IMPUTATION DATA ARCHIVING REPORTING Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

6. Analysing and Utilising the Results SURVEY OF E&I PRACTICES AT STATFI DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICES AT VARIOUS LEVELS MAKING “STATISTICS TYPES” BY COMMON PRACTICES STUDYING E&I PROCESSES (string of practices, descriptions) DATA BASE OF PRACTICES IN STATISTICS PROVIDES GOOD BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENTAL WORK OF EDITING PROJECT VALUABLE INFORMATION FOR PLANS OF STATISTICS DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER INSTANCES Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

7. DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICES AT VARIOUS LEVELS Example 1: Work time spent for editing and imputation in statistics (%) Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

8. DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICES AT VARIOUS LEVELS Example 2: Type of data in making statistics at Statistics Finland SUR = survey, REG = register, SOU = source data Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

9. DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICES AT VARIOUS LEVELS Example 3: Technical editing at the unit level Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

10. DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICES AT VARIOUS LEVELS Example 4: Model editing at the unit level Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

11. DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICES AT VARIOUS LEVELS Example 5: Macro editing Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

12. DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICES AT VARIOUS LEVELS Example 6: Treatment types (not imputation) Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

13. MAKING “STATISTICS TYPES” BY COMMON PRACTICES Example 1: Statistics with no unit-level processing • Collecting statistics utilises statistics and tabulations from several sources, and after gathering information the required form of the statistics is reached (6 statistics). • Strict processing statistics are based on one or more data (statistical data, external source data or register), which are used strictly without changes in order to make the statistics (9 statistics). • Calculation model statistics lean on existing, already edited data and/or tabulations/statistics in such way that with using them one can realise a mathematical or statistical calculation model required by the statistics (11 statistics). Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

14. MAKING “STATISTICS TYPES” BY COMMON PRACTICES Example 2: Different types of utilising statistics (i.e. estimates from other sources) • Direct use of statistics: statistics (estimates) are directed straight to the process of making statistics, or it goes through a standard treatment before the process. • Additions and checks: statistics (estimates) are used for treating missing values and errors and/or for various checks. • Making expansion weights: statistics (estimates) and distributions are utilised for making weights expanding the results to the population level (e.g. calibration). • Index calculation • Account calculation • A part of calculating results: all purposes of using statistics (estimates) in calculating the results (excluding index and account calculation). Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

15. MAKING “STATISTICS TYPES” BY COMMON PRACTICES Example 3: Types of data collection Janika Konnu, Pauli Ollila

16. DETAILED STUDIES OF E&I IN SOME STATISTICS Detailed interviews with statistics • Interviews with different type of statistics from production and editing point of view • Informal discussions with 1-2 interviewers and 1-2 persons from the statistic • Reports finalised with the interview persons and made available for everyone in StatFi Q2010 Konnu and Ollila

17. DETAILED STUDIES OF E&I IN SOME STATISTICS Most common methods for editing and imputation • Editing • deterministic checking rules • local checking • distributional checking • use of other sources or historical data • Imputation • manual • cold deck • average • hot deck • automatic imputation (checking lists) Q2010 Konnu and Ollila

18. DETAILED STUDIES OF E&I IN SOME STATISTICS General impression of editing and imputation in StatFi • Usually we take new contact to the respondent • Deduction is used if it’s possible • Personnel has strong contentual knowledge and awareness of current events • Personnel is very interested in and willing to work for methodological improvements Q2010 Konnu and Ollila 5 May 2010 18