ASA Connect

Greetings, ASA Community.   I'm on the thesis committee for a MPH student who would like to propose simplifying Lyme disease surveillance through simple random sampling of cases for confirmation, possibly with logistic regression to improve precision.

There are all sorts of factors that are being glossed over (clustering of cases, etc) but I'm just trying to make incremental improvements in the student's work and understanding.   I'd like to make sure the student reads a good basic survey sampling reference.    My best option at the moment is the "survey sampling" chapter of Rice's "Mathematical Statistics and Data Analysis"  (I have the 2nd edition, Amazon has the 3rd).   It covers population and sample mean & variance, illustrates the law of large numbers, addresses estimation of a ratio (not needed for the student), and explains the rationale for stratified random sampling.

Any other suggestions for a chapter or review-article length review for an entry-level epidemiologist?

Thank you.

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Brenda Kurland
Research Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh
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My favorite is Shaeffer, Mendenhall,and Ott, Elementary Survey Sampling. It is easy to read and has all the basic material

 I'd suggest the sections on simple random, stratified, and cluster samples. Good luck.

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David Booth
Professor Emeritus
Kent State University

Do you really believe that your MPH student has only to read a "very basic sampling reference" when statisticians take so much course work to understand the subject matter and alternative methods?  

I have no idea why others are identifying textbooks. Your student is not going to take the appropriate courses, s/he should have (and acknowledge) the guidance of a statistician to explain the statistical procedures and why they are appropriate.   

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Charles R. Mann, Ph.D.
Charles R Mann Associates, Inc.

@Charles Mann, PhD

Dear Charles, One does not have to be out of grad. school very long before s/he encounters something not covered in her or his coursework. Do we quickly return to school and demand a course on the new topic. No. We study the literature and solve the problem or sometimes even collaborate. If all we knew was what was covered in coursework, We would be a much weaker and poorer lot. David Booth, PhD

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David Booth
Professor Emeritus
Kent State University

Original Message:
Sent: 05-05-2016 03:41
From: Charles Mann
Subject: looking for very basic survey sampling reference

Do you really believe that your MPH student has only to read a "very basic sampling reference" when statisticians take so much course work to understand the subject matter and alternative methods?  

I have no idea why others are identifying textbooks. Your student is not going to take the appropriate courses, s/he should have (and acknowledge) the guidance of a statistician to explain the statistical procedures and why they are appropriate.   

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Charles R. Mann, Ph.D.
Charles R Mann Associates, Inc.

Try the Sage paperback:  Introduction to Survey Sampling

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Phillip Kott
RTI International

Thank you very much to each respondent for your thoughtful recommendations.

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Brenda Kurland
Research Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh

Original Message:
Sent: 05-05-2016 07:33
From: Phillip Kott
Subject: looking for very basic survey sampling reference

Try the Sage paperback:  Introduction to Survey Sampling

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Phillip Kott
RTI International

I have used both Groves and Fowler (Survey Methodology) and Scheaffer, Mendenhall and Ott (Elementary Survey Sampling) in my undergrad sampling classes. I think either would work for your purpose.

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S. Stokes
Southern Methodist University

Hello! 

I'm currently pursuing a certificate in intermediate survey methodology from the University of Maryland's Joint Program (with the University of Michigan) in Survey Methodology.

Based on the classes I've taken, I second S. Stokes' recommendation of Groves et al.'s (2009) Survey Methodology, which treats many important survey methodology issues, sampling included, in a clear manner. However, the classic text in this area is Kish's (1995) Survey Sampling, which is a detailed treatment of different sampling methods and how to appropriately calculate the estimates that each sampling design requires. 

Amanda.

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Amanda Irions
University of Maryland

Original Message:
Sent: 05-05-2016 10:14
From: S. Stokes
Subject: looking for very basic survey sampling reference

I have used both Groves and Fowler (Survey Methodology) and Scheaffer, Mendenhall and Ott (Elementary Survey Sampling) in my undergrad sampling classes. I think either would work for your purpose.

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S. Stokes
Southern Methodist University

A recent sampling book is Lohr Sampling design and analysis 2 ed Cengage 2010.

Of course there is the classic by Cochran Sampling Techniques 3 ed Wiley 1977

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David Levine
Professor Emeritus
Baruch College (CUNY)

Sampling Methodologies With Applications by Poduri S.R.S. Rao (2000),Chapman &Hall.

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S. R. S. Poduri
Univ of Rochester Dept. of Mathematics

I would recommend Sharon Lohr's text, "Sampling: Design and Analysis." There's a 2009 edition, but I have the 1999 edition. You'll find a good coverage of topics such as cluster sampling and variance estimation for complex surveys. The 2009 book may have more up-to-date information. The classic text on this topic is "Sampling Techniques " by William Cochran and it's a very good book. If your student is using R, then I recommend Thomas Lumley's "Complex Surveys: A Guide to Analysis Usong R."

While I recommend and own each of these books, I find Lohr's book more readable and perhaps a gentler introduction to the topic.

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Greg Erkens
Mathematical Statistician
Bureau of Labor Statistics

I second Dr. Booth's suggestion of Scheaffer, Mendenhall,and Ott's Elementary Survey Sampling. I think it is probably the best text for your MPH student. (I would probably recommend a different text were he/she a statistics/biostatistics student.)

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Robert O''Brien

As someone familiar with sampling concepts who has read through a few such textbooks, let me sort of order three mentioned by others in this thread and add another one that just may be the best one for Dr. Kurland's student:

- Elementary Survey Sampling by Scheaffer, Mendenhall, Ott, and Kenneth Gerow (who seems to be the one putting together the next (8th) edition): The level of this fine textbook is truly for Sampling 101 and the coverage is quite good.

- Sampling: Design and Analysis by Sharon Lohr: Superb! This sampling textbook, first published in 1999 (now in its second edition) is likely the leading sampling textbook today with respect to Sampling 101 and Sampling 102 with excellent up-to-date coverage. Theory-wise, it is Cochran sans explicit theorems and proofs but still with much theory within and between its reader-friendly-but-serious-minded prose.

- Sampling Techniques by William G. Cochran: A/The classic mathematical treatment of sampling, which needs no further comment.

With respect to Dr. Kurland's student, a rather concise treatment of many of the concepts she mentioned could be found in the book Sampling by Steven K. Thompson. [Note: I have only the first edition; I believe the book is now in its third edition.]

BTW, since this is not the SRMS Forum, presumably many persons here have not focused on sampling and would like a short primer on such. If so, then feel free to let me know (at davidbee2009@gmail.com) and I'll forward such to you as an Attachment. (I've put together a few; if the first one is worthwhile, then I'll send the next one(s), upon request.)

HTH

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David Bernklau
(David Bee on Internet)

Wiley Series in Probability and Mathematical Statistics - A Sampler on Sampling - Bill Williams - Bell Labs

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Glenn Springer
Bureau of Labor Statistics

If we are going as far back as Williams's A Sampler on Sampling, maybe we should go even further back to consider Morris James Slonim's 17-chapter plain-English book Sampling (originally Sampling in a Nutshell).

Probably the best sampling monograph is Alan Stuart's The Ideas of Sampling, which presents all sampling concepts arithmetically, sans any algebra whatsoever.

[BTW, those sampling primers I offered to those in the Community earlier in the week were influenced strongly by Stuart's book, starting with that 2-6-8-10-10-12 population but with much algebra. (Anecdote: When I first took a sampling course 30-40 years ago, the instructor began it with that 2-6-8-10-10-12 population, which I recalled some years later when I first read Stuart's monograph.) Anyway, if anyone still wants my primer(s), then feel free to let me know at davidbee2009@gmail.com by putting "Sampling Primer" as the Subject.]

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David Bernklau
(David Bee on Internet)

Original Message:
Sent: 05-09-2016 07:53
From: Glenn Springer
Subject: looking for very basic survey sampling reference

Wiley Series in Probability and Mathematical Statistics - A Sampler on Sampling - Bill Williams - Bell Labs

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Glenn Springer
Bureau of Labor Statistics