Data quality

ABARE's survey system is designed to produce data of a quality suitable for research and analysis at the unit level. This involves a set of quality controls, with procedures being tailored to the specific requirements of individual surveys. The key to the success of the system is employing highly experienced survey officers and statisticians to guide the design and operation of the data collection and estimation process.

For more information on ABARE’s quality controls, Paul Phillips +61 2 6272 2203 pphillips@abare.gov.au

Definitions

Population refers to the estimated number of farms in the category of farms selected. For example, if the query is for estimates for 2003-2004 in New South Wales broken up by industry classification, then the population numbers in each of the five columns is the estimated number of farms in New South Wales in each of the five industries for the year 2003-2004.

Sample refers to the number of farms in the category of farms selected that were interviewed in the survey. For example, if the query is for estimates for 2003-2004 in Queensland broken down by zone, then the sample numbers are the numbers of farms interviewed in each zone in Queensland.

Average per farm is the estimated average value of the selected variable in the category of farms selected. For example, if the query is for the estimated average number of hectares of barley sown among farms in South Australia, then all farms will be included in the computation of this estimate, not exclusively the farms where barley is sown. If only a small proportion of farms in South Australia sow barley, then this estimate may appear to be low, because a large number of zeros will be averaged together with large positive values.