Transcript Definitions of Census Terminology for Data Sources and Enumeration Methods Session 6 United Nations Statistics Division United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the.

Definitions of Census Terminology for Data
Sources and Enumeration Methods
Session 6
United Nations Statistics Division
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Census Data Sources and their Definitions

United Nations Principles and Recommendations, Rev.
2 lists 4 methodological approaches to census-taking
o
o
o
o
Traditional census
Register-based census
Rolling census
Traditional enumeration with yearly updates of
characteristics
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Traditional Census

The traditional approach comprises a complex
operation of actively collecting information from
individuals and households on a range of topics at a
specified time, accompanied by the compilation,
evaluation, analysis and dissemination of demographic,
economic, and social data pertaining to a country or a
well-delimited part of the country. Members of the
public respond to a census questionnaire, or
interviewers are deployed to collect information from
respondents (para. 1.60).
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Register-based Census

The philosophy underlying this concept is to take
advantage of the existing administrative sources,
namely, different kinds of registers, of which the
following are of primary importance: households,
dwellings and individuals. In the next iteration these
are linked at the individual level with information on
business, tax, education, employment and other
relevant registers (para. 1.64), which enables
generating small area census-like detailed statistics.
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Rolling Census

A “rolling census” represents an alternative to the
traditional model of the census by means of a
continuous cumulative survey covering the whole
country over a long period of time (generally years),
rather than a particular day or short period of
enumeration (para. 1.69).
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Traditional Enumeration with Yearly Updates of
Characteristics

This design is a variation of the traditional census
design and focuses on counting the population and
collecting only the basic demographic data in the
census year. A very large household survey collects and
tabulates detailed demographic, social, economic, and
housing data every year throughout the decade,
replacing a census-year long form to collect these
detailed data from a sample of the population (para.
1.72).
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Review of National Experiences for 2010 Censuses
Report of the United States of America on the 2010 World
Population and Housing Census Programme
“Countries are becoming more creative in their census
designs and developing new census methods.
Increasingly, countries are moving away from a full field
enumeration with enumerators going door-to-door to
collect data. Indeed, a growing number of countries are
considering less census data collection and moving to the
use of registers and other techniques to obtain data for
census counts.”
United Nations Statistical Commission, 43rd Session – 2012)
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/doc12/2012-2-Censuses-E.pdf
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Review of National Experiences for 2010 Censuses

Even within a particular methodology, there are vast
differences in how the method is carried out

The programme review shows a myriad of data
sources, data-collection methods and new technologies
for countries marking “traditional census” on the
questionnaire

Countries using administrative registers may use
different types of registers, or use registers and
supplement the data with another method
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Main Methodology for 2010 Round Censuses
 Results of census Programme Review Survey (2011/2012)
show:
o
Full field enumeration (traditional census) still dominant
methodology for population and housing censuses (85%)
o
Use of alternative methodologies
- 10% use administrative registers
- 5% use other methods mainly combinations
o
Application of alternative methods not uniform across
countries and needs careful documentation and study
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Main Methodology for 2010 Round Censuses
 Results of UNECE Survey on National Census Practices
(2013) based on responses of 50 countries show:
o
Traditional Census – 31 (62%)
o
Register-based Census – 9 (18%)
o
Combined Census – 10 (20%)
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Traditional Census
No.
%
20
40
Full field enumeration, supported by registers as
frame or control only
9
18
Full field enumeration, with annual sample updates
1
2
Rolling census
1
2
31
62
Full field enumeration, no use of registers
Total
Note: Results refer only to UNECE region
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Register-based and Combined Census
No.
%
Register-based Census
9
18
Register-based census using data from existing sample
survey for selected variables
3
6
Full register-based census
6
12
10
20
Register plus full field enumeration for selected variables
4
8
Register plus sample field data for selected variables
6
12
Combined Census
Note: Results refer only to UNECE region
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Issues Raised from Programme Review

What is a “traditional census”?

Survey results showed wide variation in the definition
of a traditional census and little consistency in how the
term is used across countries

The term is more confusing than ever and is used
differently across countries

With use of technology, the inclusion of a multitude of
data sources, and data collection methodologies, does
the term accurately reflect the current state of censustaking?
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Issues Raised from Programme Review (contd.)

The distinction needs to be made between censustaking using full field enumeration, full enumeration,
the extent of technology used, and other methods to
capture more precisely the current state of censustaking.
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Issues Raised from Programme Review (contd.)
Administrative records and administrative registers

The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably

The two terms should be better defined to clarify how
they are being used. The distinction is based on how
the data are used – to create census counts or to
support the enumeration.

It is important for accurate assessments of census
methodologies to define the distinction between the
two, develop terminology that accurately reflects the
use of the data, and gather information on their usage
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Issues Raised from Programme Review (contd.)

Programme review noted growing complexity of
census-taking within countries due to multi-mode
census
o Calls for common terminology to assess the different
types of multi-mode census-taking to learn whether
countries still have a predominant method or if there is a
multiplicity of methods being used

Some questions:
o How can a multi-mode census be accurately defined?
o How to describe all of the different permutations of the
multi-mode methodology as its use increases
o What evaluation criteria are needed to get a more exact
look at the variations of modes used?
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Recommendations

Programme review showed that almost all responding
countries (96%) will use UN concepts and definitions
for their 2020 census.

Consequently, Programme review recommends that the
UN create a task force or committee to rethink, update
and synchronize definitions of census terminology for
data sources and enumeration methods based on
current practices….Make sure terminology and
acronyms are defined and consistently used.
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013
Towards the 2020 World Population and Housing
Census Programme

UN Statistical Commission endorsed Programme review
report and its recommendations, and:
o Welcomed the suggestion to initiate early enough a
programme of work for the third revision of the Principles
and Recommendations for Population and Housing
Censuses
o Requested the United Nations Statistics Division to
establish an Expert Group to begin work to assess the
challenges faced in the 2010 round, discuss emerging
trends, compile lessons learned
United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population
and Housing Censuses
New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013