Incidence Rate
Incidence Rate is a basic but important measurement in market research that shows how common or rare a specific group of people is within a larger population. For example, if researchers are looking for people who bought a luxury car in the last year, the incidence rate would tell them what percentage of all people fit this description. This helps companies plan their research better and understand how hard it will be to find the right people to survey. When someone mentions "IR" or "incidence" in market research, they're usually talking about this concept.
Examples in Resumes
Managed projects with varying Incidence Rates from 5% to 80%, optimizing recruitment strategies accordingly
Reduced costs by accurately estimating IR and sample size requirements for nationwide studies
Successfully completed difficult-to-recruit studies with low Incidence Rates under 10%
Typical job title: "Market Research Analysts"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Market Research Analysts
Professional Organizations
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Job Resources
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you handle projects with very low incidence rates while staying within budget?
Expected Answer: The candidate should discuss strategies like pre-screening methods, using multiple sampling sources, adjusting quotas, and managing client expectations about timeline and costs.
Q: How would you estimate the required sample size for a study with an unknown incidence rate?
Expected Answer: Should mention conducting small pilot studies, using industry benchmarks, consulting past similar studies, and building in budget buffers for uncertainty.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What factors can affect incidence rates in a research project?
Expected Answer: Should discuss screening criteria, geographic location, seasonality, target audience specifics, and how question wording can impact incidence rates.
Q: How do you explain low incidence rates and their impact to clients?
Expected Answer: Should demonstrate ability to communicate how low incidence affects timeline, costs, and methodology in non-technical terms.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What is incidence rate and why is it important in market research?
Expected Answer: Should explain that it's the percentage of people who qualify for a study out of all people screened, and how it affects project timing and costs.
Q: How would you calculate an incidence rate?
Expected Answer: Should be able to explain the basic formula: (number of qualified respondents divided by total number of people screened) multiplied by 100.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic understanding of incidence rate calculations
- Ability to track and report incidence rates
- Knowledge of screening questions
- Basic project cost estimation
Mid (2-5 years)
- Managing projects with varying incidence rates
- Developing effective screening criteria
- Budget planning based on incidence
- Client communication about sampling challenges
Senior (5+ years)
- Strategic sampling approaches for low incidence studies
- Advanced cost control methods
- Multi-market research planning
- Training team members on incidence rate implications
Red Flags to Watch For
- Unable to explain how incidence rate affects project timeline and costs
- No experience with low incidence rate studies
- Lack of understanding about screening question design
- Poor grasp of sampling methodologies
Related Terms
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