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Assessing the validity of key informant reports about congregations' social composition

Publication ,  Journal Article
Frenk, SM; Anderson, SL; Chaves, M; Martin, N
Published in: Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review
March 1, 2011

Key informant interviewing is an important methodological tool for gathering information about congregations, but little research has examined the accuracy of the information key informants provide. We assess the validity of key informant reports about congregations' social composition from the 1998 and 2006-2007 National Congregations Study using data from the 1998 and 2006 General Social Survey. We find that, in the aggregate, key informants are reasonably accurate on most measures, but they are less accurate when reporting congregants' education, age, and household composition. Our findings regarding congregations' social composition are consistent with other research showing that key informants provide the most valid assessments when they are asked about directly observable organizational characteristics. © 2010 The Author. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association for the Sociology of Religion. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review

DOI

ISSN

1069-4404

Publication Date

March 1, 2011

Volume

72

Issue

1

Start / End Page

78 / 90

Related Subject Headings

  • Religions & Theology
  • 5004 Religious studies
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 2204 Religion and Religious Studies
  • 1608 Sociology
 

Citation

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Frenk, S. M., Anderson, S. L., Chaves, M., & Martin, N. (2011). Assessing the validity of key informant reports about congregations' social composition. Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review, 72(1), 78–90. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srq064
Frenk, S. M., S. L. Anderson, M. Chaves, and N. Martin. “Assessing the validity of key informant reports about congregations' social composition.” Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review 72, no. 1 (March 1, 2011): 78–90. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srq064.
Frenk SM, Anderson SL, Chaves M, Martin N. Assessing the validity of key informant reports about congregations' social composition. Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review. 2011 Mar 1;72(1):78–90.
Frenk, S. M., et al. “Assessing the validity of key informant reports about congregations' social composition.” Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review, vol. 72, no. 1, Mar. 2011, pp. 78–90. Scopus, doi:10.1093/socrel/srq064.
Frenk SM, Anderson SL, Chaves M, Martin N. Assessing the validity of key informant reports about congregations' social composition. Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review. 2011 Mar 1;72(1):78–90.
Journal cover image

Published In

Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review

DOI

ISSN

1069-4404

Publication Date

March 1, 2011

Volume

72

Issue

1

Start / End Page

78 / 90

Related Subject Headings

  • Religions & Theology
  • 5004 Religious studies
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 2204 Religion and Religious Studies
  • 1608 Sociology