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SRA Training

Introduction to Survey Sampling
Summary: This course introduces participants to what survey sampling is, why it is important, and how it is implemented. It focuses on the practical aspects as well as some of the mathematics.
Objectives:

By the end of the workshop, delegates will:

  1. Have a better awareness of the key aspects of survey sample design
  2. Understand confidence intervals for means and proportions and how to select a sample size which will guarantee the desired width of the confidence interval after data collection
  3. Be able to critique aspects of existing survey samples
  4. Have introductory knowledge about drawing their own survey sample.
Topics:

Content includes:

  • Types of samples (probability versus non-probability)
  • How to construct a “sampling frame”
  • Types of probability samples (e.g., simple random, systematic, stratified, multi-stage clustered, unequal probabilities of selection).
  • What “sampling error” is
  • The role of sampling error in confidence intervals
  • How to determine sample size
  • An introduction to the effects of different types of sample designs on confidence intervals
Who will benefit?

People who are new or fairly new to survey research and wish to conduct their own survey or commission a surveyParticipants should have a basic knowledge of statistics and should bring a calculator with a square root function.
Learning outcomes:

Participants will achieve an awareness of the critical issues in introductory survey sampling, which can then be used to assess existing surveys or aid in creating new ones.

Course tutor: Dr. Pamela Campanelli is a Survey Methods Consultant and U.K. Chartered Statistician and Chartered Scientist. She received her Ph.D. in statistics from the London School of Economics, and an M.A. in applied social research and B.A. in psychology from the University of Michigan. Prior to becoming an independent consultant, she was a Research Associate at the at the University of Michigan, a Survey Statistician at the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Chief Research Officer at the UK Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex, and a Research Director at the Survey Methods Centre at the National Centre for Social Research, London. Her main interests and publications are in the study of survey error and data quality issues, with special emphasis on questionnaire design, question testing strategies, interviewing techniques, survey nonresponse, and survey sampling. In addition to her consultancy work, she regularly teaches short courses for the SRA, CASS, the CCSR, the RSS, for central government departments, for survey research companies, for UK universities, for the University of Michigan Summer Institute (linked to the Joint Programme in Survey Methodology), and for the University of Hong Kong, as well as for various other institutions and businesses (see www.thesurveycoach.com).
Date & Location: 28th October 2009, 9.30 to 4.30

Location: London
Programme Download Programme and booking form (doc)

 
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