CE5.3.2 Common Sources of Data Errors and ErrorChecking Techniques
CE5.3.2 Common Sources of Data Errors and ErrorChecking Techniques
Checking Techniques
Sources of Data Errors
The table below displays the evaluation stages at which you might find different sources of data
errors. You may use the error-checking techniques and helpful hints in the next section to avoid
or correct these data errors as they occur.
Double entry: Arrange for two or more people to enter the same data and then check for
discrepancies.
Logic check: Carefully review the electronically entered data to make sure that the answers to
the different questions make sense. For example, if teachers indicated that they were not
evaluated during the school year in one survey question, it would be illogical for them to rate
their satisfaction with evaluator feedback in their response to another question.
Spot-checking: Randomly select several participants and check their raw data against the data
entered in a spreadsheet, document, or database. If you find any errors, randomly select another
group and check their data in a similar manner. Examine the overall pattern of the data for data-
entry or coding mistakes. For example, in spot-checking the age variable for several participants,
you notice the value for age is 100. You know that this is an error because your sample consists
of high school students.
Helpful Tips
• Always keep a copy of original files. If an original file is modified, save it with a new
name in a different folder.
• Train data entry or data management staff.
• Develop instructions for data entry and data manipulation and establish data decision
rules.
• Keep a log of the data errors found and the changes made. The log should include
information about who found and corrected the error, and it should be easily accessible to
anyone working with the data.
• Always triple-check everything and screen data for errors frequently.
Note. Adapted from the following sources:
The Pell Institute. (n.d.). Enter, organize, & clean data. http://toolkit.pellinstitute.org/evaluation-
guide/analyze/enter-organize-clean-data/
United Nations High Commission for Refugees. (n.d.). Cleaning data. In Coordination toolkit.
http://www.coordinationtoolkit.org/wp-content/uploads/130813-Data-cleaning.pdf
Van den Broeck, J., Argeseanu Cunningham, S., Eeckels, R. & Herbst, K. (2005). Data cleaning: Detecting,
diagnosing, and editing data abnormalities. PLOS Medicine, 2(10), Article e267.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1198040/#!po=27.7778
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