Do teachers misreport their education? Experimental evidence from an online survey

This study investigates how teachers misreport their educational attainment in online surveys. We use data from a routine survey conducted as part of a large-scale training programme for rural elementary and middle school teachers in China, incorporating randomized controlled trials (RCTs) into the survey design. Despite the straightforward nature of reporting one’s education level, we find that misreporting does occur – and sometimes at high rates – with overreporting being the predominant form. Our findings suggest that misreporting is influenced by concerns related to social and self-image, as well as other individual characteristics. Moreover, certain survey design features – such as the number and order of response options – can significantly reduce misreporting, particularly underreporting.