Response Rate
The proportion of invited participants who actually complete a survey or study, usually expressed as a percentage of those contacted.
Response rate is calculated by dividing the number of usable responses by the number of eligible people invited, then expressing the result as a percentage. It matters because nonresponse can bias findings: if the people who decline differ systematically from those who take part, the achieved sample no longer mirrors the intended one, even when the original selection was random. Researchers try to raise response rates through reminders, clear invitations, short instruments, and appropriate timing.
In a thesis, always report how many people were invited, how many responded, and the resulting rate. Then consider nonresponse bias directly: who was likely missing, and how might that shape your results? A modest response rate handled transparently is far stronger than a high-sounding figure with no denominator. Examiners notice when the arithmetic is missing.
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