Applied Survey Methods：A Statistical Perspective

Acomplete,hands-onguidetotheuseofstatisticalmethodsforobtainingreliableandpracticalsurveyresearchAppliedSurveyMethodsprovidesacomprehensiveoutlineofthecompletesurveyprocess,fromdesigntopublication.Fillingagapinthecurrentliterature,thisone-of-a-kindbookdescribesboththetheoryandpracticalapplicationsofsurveyresearchwithanemphasisonthestatisticalaspectsofsurveymethods.Thebookbeginswithabriefhistoricoverviewofsurveyresearchmethodsfollowedbyadiscussionthatdetailstheneededfirststepsforcarryingoutasurvey,includingthedefinitionofatargetpopulation,theselectionofasamplingframe,andtheoutlineofaquestionnairewithseveralexamplesthatincludecommonerrorstoavoidinthewordingofquestions.Throughoutthebook,theauthorprovidesanaccessiblediscussiononthemethodologicalproblemsthatareassociatedwiththesurveyprocess,outliningrealdataandexampleswhilealsoprovidinginsightonthefutureofsurveyresearch.Chaptercoverageexploresthevariousaspectsofthesurveyprocessandtheaccompanyingnumericaltechniques,including:SimpleandcompositesamplingdesignsEstimatorsDatacollectionandeditingThequalityofresultsThenon-responseproblemWeightingadjustmentsandmethodsDisclosurecontrolThefinalchapteraddressesthegrowingpopularityofWebsurveys,andtheassociatedmethodologicalproblemsarediscussed,includingsolutionstocommonpitfalls.Exercisesareprovidedthroughoutwithselectedanswersincludedattheendofthebook,whilearelatedWebsitefeaturesadditionalsolutionstoexercisesandadownloadabledemoversionoftheBlaisesystemofcomputer-assistedinterviewing.AccesstothefreelyavailableSimSamsoftwareisalsoavailableontherelatedWebsiteandprovidesreaderswiththetoolsneededtosimulatesamplesfromfinitepopulationsaswellasvisualizetheeffectsofsamplesize,non-response,andtheuseofdifferentestimationprocedures.AppliedSurveyMethodsisanexcellentbookforcoursesonsurveyresearchandnon-responseinsurveysattheupper-undergraduateandgraduatelevels.Itisalsoausefulreferenceforpracticingstatisticiansandsurveymethodologistswhoworkinbothgovernmentandprivateresearchsectors.