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In the past decade the desire to leave the questionnaire essentially the
same, in the interest of having comparable data from one survey to the
next, has inhibited the introduction of new topics.

The processing of the information on computer was undertaken by an A.A.
member from Michigan. From the beginning through 1980 he, his family, and
his students did an enormous amount of work in writing the computer
programs, reviewing and entering the data from the many questionnaires,
and running the programs.

In 1983 the processing was done by A.A. volunteers, and a data processing
firm under contract handled the computer work.  In 1986 all was done by
G.S.O. employees, and in 1989 we reverted to the 1983 arrangement.

At first, the raw data were treated with extreme caution.  Dr. Jack said
in 1968, "Survey results should not be used to project figures for...the
Fellowship of A.A....A.A.  members who filled out the questionnaire
represent only those who attended the particular meetings at which the
survey was conducted.  This represented 5% of the groups in each of the 50
states and Canada."  Elsewhere it was cautioned that the sample repre-
sented those members who attend meetings most frequently.

As successive surveys showed consistency of results and trends, confidence
began to grow that the results were, within limits, representative of the
Fellowship as a whole.  For example, data within the survey made it
possible to estimate and compensate for the effect of frequent attendance
at meetings.   More important, the adoption of a scientific sampling
process in 1983 made it possible to decrease the number of questionnaires
processed by a factor of three and yet increase the confidence that the
results are representative of the Fellowship as a whole, although not of
any specific group or area.

It was also realized that a good deal of information about the A.A.
process was implcit in the raw data, but so far only limited use of that
fact has been made.

A consultant, Professor of Statistics Joseph Sedransk, then of the
University of New York in Albany, was engaged to help with and review the
characteristics of the sampling system that was devised for the 1983
survey.  At the same time a member with expertise in the physical design
of questionnaires greatly improved the format.

The number of completed questionnaires for the various surveys was:

                        1968           11,355
                        1971            7,194
                        1974           13,467
                        1977           15,163
                        1980           24,950
                        1983            7,611
                        1986            6,977
                        1989            9,394

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