Survey quality and cross-national sports research: A case study of the 2007 ISSP survey

For the past 15 years there has been an increase in the number of cross-national surveys on sports-related issues. However, in cross-national research, the quality of the conclusions always depends on the quality of each of the separate national studies. If any of these are flawed, it is possible that the observed variation in outcomes is nothing more than a methodological artefact. Unfortunately, the issue of survey quality has been seriously underdeveloped in sports research literature. Through a discussion of several components of survey quality by means of the 2007 International Social Survey Programme survey on leisure time and sports, this article addresses this lacuna. Our case study shows that the wide cross-national variation in sampling methods, modes of data collection and response rates leaves room for various forms of survey error with the potential to generate misleading or biased findings. Although it is less clear what can be done about survey error, we give some possibilities. We suggest that ignoring these methodological problems will affect the validity of cross-national research. Moreover, future research into the impact of various methodological factors related to survey quality is definitely needed.