Prof. Dr. Rainer Schnell

Research Selectivity and Biases in Name-Based Samples of Migrants

Migrants are of special interest in many areas of the social sciences. Special techniques are used to draw samples of foreigners or migrants. A technique typically used in the social sciences is based on the classification of names along known affiliation to nationalities or ethnic groups. Such a step is typically used to reduce screening costs and points on the avoidance of false-negative classifications of names to nationalities.

If such techniques work satisfactory has not been discussed widely. Also it still is unclear if misclassification is selective, potentially introducing bias by selective undercoverage of specific groups.

We use the PASS Panel Survey on Labour Market and Social Security which surveys a sufficient number of migrants together with their migration history in order to study potential undercoverage and biases in name-based samples of migrants.

This project is in cooperation with the Institute of Employment Research IAB (Dr. Mark Trappmann) in Nuremberg.

Staff and Contact:
Prof. Rainer Schnell, University of Duisburg-Essen, email
Dr. Mark Trappmann, Institute of Employment Research, Nuremberg, email
Tobias Bachteler, University of Duisburg-Essen, email
Tobias Gramlich, University of Duisburg-Essen, email