ECON1203: Statistics

Chapter 5: Data collection and sampling

ECON1203: Statistics
Chapter 5: Data collection and
sampling
1. Methods of collecting data

Primary data is collected by the statistical practitioner for the current

purpose.
Secondary data is collected by someone else for another purpose.
Observational data measures actual behaviours and outcomes.
Experiment data imposes a treatment and measures the resultant
behaviours and outcomes.
Survey data solicits information from respondents.
o The response rate is the proportion of selected people who
completed the survey.

Personal
interview
Telephone
interview
Self-administered
survey

Advantages
High response rate
Interviewer can clarify
questions
Less expensive

Disadvantages
Costly
Interviewer can bias

Low response rate

Low response rate

Misunderstood
questions

Less expensive

Questionnaire design
1. The questionnaire should be short.
2. The questions should be short, clear and unambiguous (e.g. what is
family?)
3. Start with simple demographic questions to help respondents get started
and comfortable.
4. Dichotomous (e.g. yes/no) questions are simple but limiting.
5. Open-ended questions give more detailed answers but are difficult to
tabulate.
6. Avoid leading questions because they suggest an answer.
7. If there is time, pretest to uncover potential problems.
8. Consider the type of data (interval/ordinal/nominal) & techniques
(descriptive/inferential).

ECON1203: Statistics

Chapter 5: Data collection and sampling

2. Sampling

The target population is the about which we want to draw inferences.

The sampled population is the actual population from which the sample
has been taken.
Self-selected samples are biased because participants are more keenly
interested in the issue.

3. Sampling plans
1. A simple random sample is selected so that every possible sample with
the same number of observations is equally likely to be chosen (e.g.
raffle).
2. A stratified random sampling separates the population into mutually
exclusive sets, or strata, and then draws simple random samples from
each stratum (e.g. by income).
3. A cluster sample is a simple random sample of groups or clusters of
elements (e.g. blocks in a city).

4. Sampling and nonsampling errors

Sampling error refers to differences between the sample and the

population that exists only because of the observations that happened to
be selected for the sample. Taking a larger sample reduces the possibility
of this error.

Nonsampling errors result from mistakes made in the acquisition of data

or from the improper selection of sample observations. Taking a larger
sample does not reduce the possibility of this error.
1. Errors in data acquisition (e.g. faulty equipment, transcription
errors, inaccurate responses to sensitive issues like sexual activity
or tax evasion)
2. Nonresponse error the error introduced when responses are not
obtained from some members of the sample (e.g. unable to contact
selected respondent, refusal)
3. Selection bias when some members of the target population
cannot possibly be selected for inclusion in the sample (e.g. a
Sydney Morning Herald election poll cannot include readers of The
Australian)