Note: Data weighting is only available for Professional Analtyics users
When to apply data weighting?
Data weighting is particularly useful in situations where certain groups are overrepresented or underrepresented in your initial sample composition. By applying weights post-data collection, you can correct for any biases that may have occurred during the data collection process. This allows you to work with representative data.
Data weighting is usually applied to demographic characteristics such as age and gender. These fields will be used in the example below to match the sample data to the Dutch population.
Representation demographic characteristics
| Survey Sample | Dutch Population | |
| Male | 70% | 47% |
| Female | 25% | 50% |
| Divers | 5% | 3% |
| Survey Sample | Dutch Population | |
| < 20 years old | 10% | 21% |
| 20 – 39 years old | 20% | 26% |
| 40 – 64 years old | 50% | 33% |
| 65 – 79 years old | 18% | 15% |
| > 80 years old | 2% | 5% |
In this example there is an overrepresentation of male and divers respondents and an underrepresentation of young (<39 years old) and elderly (>65 years old) respondents.
Download weighting data definition template in order to follow with the next steps on this manual
How to apply data weighting?
To make sure your collected data is a good representation of the Dutch population the desired weight is uploaded using an Excel file (example file is attached below). The file always contains three columns.
A. Preparing the Excel File
1.Variable
This column contains the variable names that you defined in your survey:
2.VariableValue
This column contains the values of the variables in your survey:
3.Weight
This column contains the values from the age distribution column of the Dutch population.
Note: Only use the integer number excluding the percentage symbol (%):
In this example where two demographic characteristics (age & gender) are used this results in the following Excel format:
B. Uploading the Excel file
Navigate to the ‘Analyze’ tab of your survey and check the ‘Interviews weighting’ box to upload your Excel file:
Your Excel file will be validated based on the following:
- Weight can be specified with integer numbers or as fractions;
- The variable name must exist;
- If the variable is based on a question with a defined range of values (e.g. single response question) the defined value must be in the range;
- The weights for one variable must sum up to 100.
If the Excel file is validated the interviews will be weighted when the survey is closed:
C.Analyzing the results
When the survey is closed you can analyze the results. For instance in this example it is shown how many males and females actually rated the service with 5 stars (Count) and what result would be a representative display of the Dutch Population:
Within Professional Analytics the options to display and compare the data are practically limitless.
