If there are more than six responses per individual, then a random method for reducing the number of responses selects the six ethnicities to be retained. This manual method mirrors the software application method in Appendix 2.
To make your selection random, use a random number chart and methodically assign a number by either choosing a column or row to follow. After assigning the random numbers choose the lowest number as the response to be removed. This is explained fully in the method below.
Every level 1 ethnic group category that is represented by an individual’s ethnicities must be represented in the final selection of responses. All level 1 ethnicity categories will be retained when the number of responses is reduced to six, as there are six categories at level 1.
Responses which would be coded to a residual category are removed first. For example, a response of vegetarian would be coded to the residual category 98888 response outside scope and would be the first response removed. If there are still more than six ethnicities then identify the level 1 categories they belong to.
Retain the responses from the level 1 categories that have just one ethnicity response belonging to them. All responses with the same first digit belong in the same level 1 category.
The level 1 categories that are represented by more than one ethnicity response are selected to reduce the number of responses through a random method. At least one ethnicity response representing each level 1 category is retained. Randomly select a level 1 category with more than one response. Do this by assigning each level 1 category a random number from a chart and select the lowest random number. This is the category from which an ethnicity will be selected to be removed. Next, randomly remove one response from the level 1 category selected. Do this by assigning each ethnicity in this category a random number and then remove the ethnicity with the lowest random number.
If this reduces the number of ethnicities to six then the random selection procedure can stop as the maximum number of responses has been retained. Otherwise, repeat this process until six responses remain.
The final selection must meet the requirement of no more than six ethnicities for processing and also retain information at level 1 of the classification for ethnicity.
An individual’s responses are French, Niuean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, English, Algerian and New Zealander.
There are no residual categories to remove.
Classifying each ethnicity to their respective level one category has the following result:
For three of the level 1 categories there is only one response given and these responses must be retained. They are Niuean, Algerian and New Zealander. That leaves two level 1 categories with more than one response from which to select the remaining responses to be retained.
Assign each level 1 category a random number. In this example, European is assigned 393 and Asian is assigned 214. The Asian category has the lowest random number and is the category from which an ethnicity will be selected to be removed.
Assign each ethnicity in the Asian category a random number: Cambodian is assigned 149 and Vietnamese is assigned 613. Cambodian has the lowest random number and so this response is removed.
The six ethnicities to be retained from the given responses are:
This selection meets the requirement of six ethnicities for processing and retains all the level 1 ethnicity information given by the individual.
If a maximum of three responses is retained for a collection and more than three ethnicity responses are given, a random method is used to select the three responses. Where possible each level 1 category must be represented from the responses retained. This manual method mirrors the software method. (see Appendix 2 for the software application methodology and a more detailed explanation)
Responses which would be coded to a residual category are excluded first. For example, a response of vegetarian would be coded to the residual category 98888 Response Outside Scope and would be removed first. If there are still more than three ethnicities then identify which level 1 categories the ethnicities belong to. All responses with the same first digit belong in the same level 1 category.
If a person has given more than three responses, but these are all classified within one, two or three level 1 categories, assign each ethnicity response a random number and remove the response with the lowest random number. If this reduces the responses to three then the random selection procedure can stop as the maximum number of responses has been retained. Otherwise, repeat the process for the remaining level 1 categories with more than one response. Avoid removing responses from a level 1 category when it is represented by only one ethnicity.
Repeat this process until three responses have been selected. In this situation, all level 1 ethnicity information has been retained.
If a person's responses are classified to more than three level 1 categories, a random selection is made to remove responses, one at a time, from the level 1 categories with more than one response. This will result in one response only in each level 1 category but at this point there will still be more than three responses. Start by assigning each category a random number. Select the category with the lowest random number and then assign each ethnicity in that category a random number. Remove the ethnicity with the lowest random number. Repeat this process until each level 1 category is represented by one ethnicity.
Although each level 1 category is represented up to this point, there will still be too many responses to retain. To reduce the number of level 1 categories to three, assign a random number to the remaining ethnicities and select the lowest random number to remove. Repeat this process until three ethnicity responses remain.
The final selection must meet the requirement of no more than three ethnicities for processing and also retain information at level 1 of the classification for ethnicity as far as possible.
An individual’s responses are French, German, Swiss, Dutch, Amhara and Tigrean.
Assigning each ethnicity response a random number results in: French 641, German 239, Swiss 873, Dutch 458, Amhara 210 and Tigrean 632. The lowest random number is Amhara and that response is removed. The MELAA level one category is represented by the Tigrean response only and so this ethnicity is retained. This leaves four responses from the European level 1 category. The lowest random number of the European responses is German 239 and this is removed. One more response needs to be removed so selecting the next lowest random number removes Dutch 458.
The three ethnic groups to be retained from the given responses are:
This selection meets the requirement of three ethnicities for processing and retains all the level one ethnicity information given by the individual.
An individual’s responses are French, Niuean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, New Zealander and English.
Classifying each ethnicity to their respective level 1 category has the following result:
As there are more than three level 1 categories represented, a random selection is made to remove responses, one at a time, from the level 1 categories with more than one response. This will result in one response only in each level 1 category.
The European and Asian categories are represented by more than one ethnicity. Assign each ethnicity in the European and Asian categories a random number and select the lowest random number to remove from each category. French is assigned 987 and English is assigned 109 so English is removed from the European category. Cambodian is assigned 291 and Vietnamese is assigned 312 so Cambodian is removed from the Asian category.
This reduces our total number of responses to four: French, Niuean, Vietnamese and New Zealander and represents each level 1 category up to this point.
To reduce the number of level 1 categories to three, assign a random number to the remaining ethnicities and select the lowest random number to remove. French is assigned 367, Niuean 183, Vietnamese 671 and New Zealander 948. Niuean with the lowest random number is removed.
This selection meets the requirement of three ethnicities for processing and retains as far as possible all the level 1 ethnicity information given by the individual.