Quality Assurance

• The SRC provides individualized attention to investigators during each stage of the research project, from initial data assessment to collection needs, to survey design and interpretation of results.
• Well-tested and highly developed quality-assurance procedures and controls are in place throughout all stages of the project.
• Surveys are pre-tested and well-developed coding procedures are followed for open-ended questions.
• The Cardiff Teleform Information Capture System is a major component of the SRC’s quality control process. It eliminates potential errors that could occur with manual data entry.
• For data entry, 100 percent verification is standard procedure. The SRC conducts verification checks of all data prior to issuing a final project report. Telephone and face-to-face interviews are conducted using strict quality-assurance and extensive tracking procedures. Multiple mailings, follow-up postcards, and postage-paid return envelopes are used to ensure high response rates in mailed surveys.

Expertise

• The SRC provides expertise in study design and sampling, survey and questionnaire design, data collection and management, and advanced statistical support.
• An epidemiologist and a biostatistician will work closely with investigators to choose the right study and questionnaire design, determine the most efficient sampling frame and size for the study.

Resource/Technology

• The SRC ensures high volume, high accuracy, high quality data collection, rapid turnaround time, and automated content capture using the Cardiff Teleform Information Capture System.
• Cardiff Teleform is a complete system for creating and capturing data from printed forms. Teleform can perform hand-print, machine-print, check-box, and barcode recognition with exceptional accuracy.

Form inventory

• The SRC maintains an inventory of standardized questionnaires for all purposes including psychological, demographic, food frequency, and quality of life, among others. Please contact the SRC Director for further information.