Field checks on accurancy of population and vital statistics

Abstract

In recent years, increasing emphasis has been attached to the need to evaluate and publicize the accuracy of statistical series. This relatively new philosophy of admitting the possibility of error and the need to quantify it to indicate the degree of reliability of the results, to pinpoint faulty procedure for correction when the collection procedure is repeated, and to correct or adjust the totals in some cases, permeates all fields of statistics. It arises from the recognition that, because of their nature, statistics cannot, nor need they be, 100 percent accurate, and provided the margin of error is objectively assessed and found to be within reasonable limits, the data may be of considerable use for many purposes. Application of this principle of evaluation to population and vital statistics is not easy because of the nature of the collection processes involved.