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QUALITY DECLARATION - SUMMARY
Every effort is made to minimise non-sampling error by careful design and testing of the collection instrument, the use of efficient operating procedures and systems, and the use of appropriate methodologies. For the Government and Private non-profit sectors, reliability and comparability of R&D statistics may be affected by the following specific non-sampling errors:
Revisions to previous cycle data occur on discovery of errors in the data. Revisions are only applied, where the impact on:
Users are advised to refer to the most recently released data cubes (which can be found on the Downloads page of this release), as revisions must be taken into consideration when interpreting results, particularly when comparing estimates over time. COHERENCE There are no other data sources with which ABS R&D data for the Government and Private non-profit sectors can be directly compared. However, some observations can be made which suggest the survey outputs give a reasonable indication of real world expectations and events. For example, trends are expected to broadly reflect changes in budget allocations as well as government policy relating to R&D funding, particularly for research based organisations. While the ABS seeks to maximise consistency and comparability over time by minimising changes to the survey, sound survey practice requires ongoing development to maintain the integrity of the data, its relevance to the changing needs of users and the efficiency of the collection. In addition to the non-sampling errors outlined in the Accuracy section, above, another factor which may affect the comparability of 2008-09 estimates with those of previous cycles is the implementation of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification. Differences which exist between this and the previously used Australian Standard Research Classification means the change in research classification represents a break in series. Users should familiarise themselves with those differences by referring to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008 (cat. no. 1297.0) if attempting to compare FOR and SEO data across reference periods. INTERPRETABILITY R&D as collected by the ABS is defined in accordance with the OECD standard as 'creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications'. The ABS Survey of R&D also uses classifications specific to R&D: results presented in this release are based on ANZSRC 2008. Statistics shown are classified by: Socio-economic objective; Field of research; and Type of activity. Data providers self-classify R&D expenditure based on their interpretation of OECD/ABS definitions. The ABS makes every effort to ensure correct and consistent interpretation and reporting of these data and applies consistent processing methodologies. See also the Reliability of Statistics and Revisions sections of the Technical Note. Further important contextual information, to be considered when interpreting the results presented in this release, is provided in the Explanatory Notes (including the Technical Note and Glossary). Additionally, for a more comprehensive interpretation of the definitions and classifications relating to R&D activity, refer to:
ACCESSIBILITY Findings resulting from the Survey of R&D for government and private non-profit organisations are available in both web and pdf format. Additionally, main tables and time series data are included on the ABS website (see the Downloads page of this issue) free of charge, in spreadsheet format. Links to other data releases relating to the ABS Survey of R&D can be found on the ABS website, via the Innovation, Science and Technology theme page under Topics @ a Glance/Industry. If the information you require is not available as a standard product, inquiries can be made by contacting the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Fiona Manson on (08) 9360 5213. Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.
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