An incomplete survey response is categorized as which type of error?

An incomplete survey response is categorized as a nonresponse error because it reflects a lack of complete information that is needed to draw reliable conclusions from the survey data. Nonresponse error typically occurs when certain questions are not answered or when entire surveys are left incomplete by participants, leading to gaps in the data. This type of error can significantly affect the quality and validity of the survey results since the uncompleted responses can introduce bias or reduce the robustness of the findings.

Other types of errors, such as rating mistakes, interviewer oversight, or mathematical miscalculations, pertain to specific inaccuracies in the way responses are measured, recorded, or calculated, but they do not specifically address the issue of missing data inherent in incomplete survey responses. Therefore, labeling an incomplete response as a nonresponse error is accurate, highlighting the importance of complete and comprehensive data collection methods in research.