i would like to comment a bit more on the options below At 03:14 PM 3/12/02 +0100, George wrote: >from a past exam, I have the following question: > >Which type of sample survey would provide the most reliable data on the >frequency of cinema-going of the population? > >only one of 1,2,3,4 is "correct": > >1) A house to house survey in the evening
what evening? s? where? all houses? if sampled, how? is the evening the best time ... many work then ... >2) A postal survey based on the electoral list to how many? where? since so many don't vote ... is this a representative group of cinema goers? >3) Interviewing outside the cinema i still like this but, where are these cinemas? how many? what particular kinds of movies? >4) A household survey based on a population census or register can't be everyone so, which ones? how many? selected how (randomly?) from this list? i would suspect that the keyed choice is 4 but, given a lack of specification as to how this list would be used to SAMPLE ... one is still not "convinced" that this would result in the "best" data ... and too ... one can't know IF one will actually find these people at home i contend that there is NO best answer here ... no defensible best that is ... BUT, with #3 ... you do at least have actual movie goers ... whereas for 1, 2, and 4 ... you have no assurance of that >------- >I can assume cost of the survey is not an issue right? then 2 is out, as >1 is better than 2 for reliability. >3 is out of the question as it does not cover the general population. > >So I think either 1 or 4 must be correct. >But 4 is similar to 1, so what is the difference between a census and a >Register??? and between a Register and a (i.e. electoral) List??? >BTW a household survey is also presumably done from house to house, and >not via post ? > >Thanks for your help. particularly, Dr. Paul Gardner for his past help >in a similar question >on finite sampling. > >George > >-for personal reply please remove SPAMLESS from my email address. > > >. >. >================================================================= >Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the >problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: >. http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . >================================================================= Dennis Roberts, 208 Cedar Bldg., University Park PA 16802 <Emailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> WWW: http://roberts.ed.psu.edu/users/droberts/drober~1.htm AC 8148632401 . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . =================================================================
