Teacher(s)

Schoumaker Bruno;

Language

French

Content

This course covers the main sampling techniques used in quantitative social surveys (demography, sociology, political science, development, etc.). It covers surveys in both Western and developing countries. It combines a theoretical dimension, the acquisition of technical know-how, and the development of an ability to understand technical documents on sample surveys. Interventions by researchers and survey practitioners allow students to be confronted with practical constraints in setting up sample surveys.
Probabilistic samples

• Reminders on the concepts of population, sample, inference, sampling distributions, sampling errors, confidence intervals.
• Sampling frames: concept and construction.
• Precision and margin of error, and calculation of sample sizes.
• Simple and systematic random sampling (justifications, methods and data processing).
• Stratified random samples (justifications, methods and data processing).
• Multi-stage sampling (justifications, methods and data exploitation) and sampling with unequal probabilities.
• Calculation and use of sampling weights.
• Methods for adjusting and dealing with non-responses (post-stratification, imputations, raking ratio).

Non-probabilistic samples

• Typology and conditions of use of the main methods.
• Quota surveys (rationale, methods and data use).

Teaching methods

Combination of lectures, presentations of student work, exercises, readings, and project development on a technical offer for a sample survey.

Evaluation methods

The evaluation is based on two elements:

• The preparation of a technical proposal (written report) for a sample survey on a specific topic. The work is done in groups of 2 or 3 students. The work and intermediate presentations account for 40% of the final grade. The grade may vary between members of a group, depending on the participation of group members in the work and presentations.
• A written "open book" exam, on questions related to the course content. Questions may include, for example, exercises (e. g. sample size calculation), interpretation of survey results, synthesis and critique of technical survey documents. The written exam accounts for 60% of the final grade.

In the event of failure in the first session, students may represent both parts of the exam or only one of them, and keep the mark of one of the two parts for the September session.

Other information

This course must be taken together with LSOC2095, which covers the practical part.

Online resources

Rémy Clairin et Philippe Brion (1996). Manuel de sondages. Applications aux pays  en développement. Documents et manuels du Ceped, n°3, Ceped, Paris.
European Social Survey. Sampling information.
ICF International (2012). Demographic and Health Survey Sampling and Household Listing Manual. MEASURE DHS, ICF International, Calverton.

Bibliography

• Diapositives, portfolio de lectures et feuilles de calcul disponibles sur Moodle.

Ardilly P. (2006). Les techniques de sondage, Editions Technip, Paris.
Clairin R. et Brion P. (1996). Manuel de sondages. Applications aux pays  en développement. Documents et manuels du Ceped, n°3, Ceped, Paris.
Cochran, W. (2007). Sampling techniques, 3rd edition, Wiley, New Delhi.
ICF International (2012). Demographic and Health Survey Sampling and Household Listing Manual. MEASURE DHS, ICF International, Calverton.
Kalton G. (1983). Introduction to Survey Sampling, Quantitative applications in the social sciences, 35, Sage publications, Newbury Park.
European Social Survey. Sampling information.

Teaching materials

• Diapositives, portfolio de lectures et feuilles de calcul disponibles sur Moodle.

Faculty or entity

PSAD