Summary
Contents
Subject index
Written with the needs and goals of a novice researcher in mind, this fully updated Third Edition provides an accurate account of how modern surveys are actually designed and conducted. Much more than a “how-to” guide, this up-to-date and accessible book presents the material in a social science context and teaches readers to think through decisions about sample design, questionnaire development, and data collection, rather than simply following prescriptive advice that may not be appropriate to particular practical situations. In addition to providing examples of alternative procedures, Designing Surveys shows how classic principles and recent research guide decision-making—from setting the basic features of the survey design to implementing instrument development, testing, and data collection. The new edition covers new developments in data collection technologies, provides a more comprehensive treatment of questionnaire development and pretesting, and includes completely new chapters on sample design and selection.
Sampling II: Population Definition and Sampling Frames
Sampling II: Population Definition and Sampling Frames
Defining the Survey Population
The first step in the survey sampling process is to define the population. A sample is, by definition, a subset of a larger population. The population, or universe, is the set of elements about which you would like to make inferences. Before selecting the sample, it is necessary to have a clear idea of the population that you wish to study. Failure to think carefully about the needed population often leads to the use of samples that are convenient but do not match what is needed. For example, the Literary Digest fiasco discussed in Chapter 5 was, in essence, a case of studying a convenient population (higher-income people ...
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