Two-step calibration of design weights in survey sampling

ABSTRACT

In this article, a new two-step calibration technique of design weights is proposed. In the first step, the calibration weights are set proportional to the design weights in a given sample. In the second step, the constants of proportionality are determined based on different objectives of the investigator such as bias reduction or minimum mean squared error. Many estimators available in the literature can be shown to be special cases of the proposed two-step calibrated estimator. A simulation study, based on a real data set, is also included at the end. A few technical issues are raised with respect to the use of the proposed calibration technique: both limitations and benefits are discussed.     

基于排序集样本和辅助变量中位数的均值比率估计方法

排序集抽样下利用辅助变量中位数构建了总体均值的改进比率估计模型,分析了该比率估计量的偏差和均方误差,并与简单随机抽样下的比率估计比较,证明了改进后的比率估计均方误差更小。以农作物播种面积和产量为研究对象进行实例分析,研究表明,基于排序集样本和辅助变量中位数的比率估计方法可以有效提高估计精度,验证了该构造方法的可行性。     

Estimation of population mean based on dual use of auxiliary information in non response

Whenever there is auxiliary information available in any form, the researchers want to utilize it in the method of estimation to obtain the most efficient estimator. When there exists enough amount of correlation between the study and the auxiliary variables, and parallel to these associations, the ranks of the auxiliary variables are also correlated with the study variable, which can be used a valuable device for enhancing the precision of an estimator accordingly. This article addresses the problem of estimating the finite population mean that utilizes the complementary information in the presence of (i) the auxiliary variable and (ii) the ranks of the auxiliary variable for non response. We suggest an improved estimator for estimating the finite population mean using the auxiliary information in the presence of non response. Expressions for bias and mean squared error of considered estimators are derived up to the first order of approximation. The performance of estimators is compared theoretically and numerically. A numerical study is carried out to evaluate the performances of estimators. It is observed that the proposed estimator is more efficient than the usual sample mean and the regression estimators, and some other families of ratio and exponential type of estimators.     

Mem squared error estimation in finite populations under nonlinear models

Four estimators of the prediction mean squared error (MSB) of an estimated finite population total for a zero-one characteristic are examined. The characteristic associated with each population unit is modeled as the realization of a Bernoulli random variable whose expected value is a nonlinear function of a parameter vector and a set of known auxiliary variables. To compare the estimators, a simulation study is conducted using a population of hospitals. The MSB estimator Implied by the form of the assumed model underestimates the mean squared error in each of the cases studied and produces confidence lntervals with less than the nominal coverage probabilities. Of the three alternative MSE estimators presented, a linear approximation to the jackknife produces the best results and improves upon the model-specific estimator.     

A dual problem of calibration of design weights

In this note, a dual problem to the calibration of design weights of the Deville and Särndal [Calibration estimators in survey sampling, J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 87 (1992), pp. 376–382] method has been considered. We conclude that the chi-squared distance between the design weights and the calibrated weights equals the square of the standardized Z-score obtained by the difference between the known population total of the auxiliary variable and its corresponding Horvitz and Thompson [A generalization of sampling without replacement from a finite universe, J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 47 (1952), pp. 663–685] estimator divided by the sample standard deviation of the auxiliary variable to obtain the linear regression estimator in survey sampling.     

Calibrated estimators in two-stage sampling

We consider the problem of the estimation of the population mean of a study variable by assuming that the population means of an auxiliary variable are known at both stages of sample selection. The design weights at the first and second stages of sample selection are calibrated by optimizing the chi-squared type distance between the design weights and the new weights at both the first and second stages of sample selection. The regression type estimator in two-stage sampling is shown to be a special case. An application of the proposed estimators using a real data set is discussed.     

动态面板阈模型的一种序贯两步估计

动态面板阈模型可以刻画经济变量动态调整过程的非对称性,在实证分析中有广泛的运用,但阈值参数的引入同时增加了参数估计的困难,理论上尚有许多问题没有解决。针对此类模型,本文提出了一种简单而实用的序贯两步估计方法,首先利用格点搜索获得阈值参数的一致估计,基于该参数对数据结构进行合理划分并引入不同类型的矩条件,然后利用广义矩方法获得自回归参数的估计。理论研究与模拟结果表明,序贯两步估计具有良好的大样本性质和有限样本表现;与现有文献的方法相比,序贯两步估计能够有效避免不同类型参数估计偏差的相互影响,减小估计量的偏差与均方根误差。     

An effective approach to linear calibration estimation with its applications

Abstract

The availability of some extra information, along with the actual variable of interest, may be easily accessible in different practical situations. A sensible use of the additional source may help to improve the properties of statistical techniques. In this study, we focus on the estimators for calibration and intend to propose a setup where we reply only on first two moments instead of modeling the whole distributional shape. We have proposed an estimator for linear calibration problems and investigated it under normal and skewed environments. We have partitioned its mean squared error into intrinsic and estimation components. We have observed that the bias and mean squared error of the proposed estimator are function of four dimensionless quantities. It is to be noticed that both the classical and the inverse estimators become the special cases of the proposed estimator. Moreover, the mean squared error of the proposed estimator and the exact mean squared error of the inverse estimator coincide. We have also observed that the proposed estimator performs quite well for skewed errors as well. The real data applications are also included in the study for practical considerations.     

New calibration estimator in stratified sampling

This paper develops the theory of calibration estimation and proposes calibration approach alternative to existing calibration estimators for estimating population mean of the study variable using auxiliary variable in stratified sampling. The theory of new calibration estimation is given and optimum weights are derived. A simulation study is carried out to performance of the proposed calibration estimator with other existing calibration estimators. The results reveal that the proposed calibration estimators are more efficient than Tracy et al., Singh et al., Singh calibration estimators of the population mean.     

Preliminary test estimators in double sampling with two auxiliary variables

An attempt has been mads to suggest some estimators for population mean in double sampling with two auxiliary variables., alternative to the usual regression estimator. When the experimenter has partial Information about the mean of the auxiliary variable or variables, preliminary test estimators can be used. The bias, mean square error, relative efficiency and optimum allocation of sample sizes are obtained for the suggested estimators.     

A family of efficient estimators of the finite population mean in simple random sampling

In this paper an estimator of the finite population mean using auxiliary information in sample surveys has been proposed. The bias and mean squared error are obtained under large sample approximation. It has been shown that the proposed estimator performs better than some recently published estimators.     

A fresh imputing survey methodology using sensible constraints on study and auxiliary variables: dubious random non-response

In this paper, we introduce a fresh methodology for imputing missing values by making use of sensible constraints on both a study variable and auxiliary variables that are correlated with the variable of interest. The resultant estimator based on these imputed values is shown to lead to the regression type method of imputation in survey sampling. Furthermore, when the data are hybrid of both that missing at random and missing complexly at random, the resultant estimator is shown to be a consistent estimator that has asymptotic mean squared error equal to that of the linear regression method of imputation. A generalization to any type of method of imputation is possible and has been included at the end.     

MODEL‐BASED DIRECT ESTIMATION OF SMALL‐AREA DISTRIBUTIONS

Much of the small‐area estimation literature focuses on population totals and means. However, users of survey data are often interested in the finite‐population distribution of a survey variable and in the measures (e.g. medians, quartiles, percentiles) that characterize the shape of this distribution at the small‐area level. In this paper we propose a model‐based direct estimator (MBDE, Chandra and Chambers) of the small‐area distribution function. The MBDE is defined as a weighted sum of sample data from the area of interest, with weights derived from the calibrated spline‐based estimate of the finite‐population distribution function introduced by Harms and Duchesne, under an appropriately specified regression model with random area effects. We also discuss the mean squared error estimation of the MBDE. Monte Carlo simulations based on both simulated and real data sets show that the proposed MBDE and its associated mean squared error estimator perform well when compared with alternative estimators of the area‐specific finite‐population distribution function.     

Adaptive nonparametric density estimation with missing observations

It is well known that if some observations in a sample from the probability density are not available, then in general the density cannot be estimated. A possible remedy is to use an auxiliary variable that explains the missing mechanism. For this setting a data-driven estimator is proposed that mimics performance of an oracle that knows all observations from the sample. It is also proved that the estimator adapts to unknown smoothness of the density and its mean integrated squared error converges with a minimax rate. A numerical study, together with the analysis of a real data, shows that the estimator is feasible for small samples.     

New calibration estimator based on two auxiliary variables in stratified sampling

In recent years, calibration estimation has become an important field of research in survey sampling. This paper proposes a new calibration estimator for the population mean in the presence of two auxiliary variables in stratified sampling. The theory of new calibration estimator is given and optimum calibration weights are derived. A simulation study is carried out to performance of the proposed calibration estimator over other existing calibration estimators. The results reveal that the proposed calibration estimators are more efficient than other existing calibration estimators in stratified sampling.     

Calibration estimator of population mean under stratified ranked set sampling design

Calibration method adjusts the original design weights to improve the estimates by using auxiliary information. In this article we have proposed new calibration estimators under stratified ranked set sampling design and derive the estimator of variance of calibration estimator. A simulation study is carried out to see the performance of proposed estimators.     

An exact formula for the mean squared error of the inverse estimator in the linear calibration problem

The linear calibration problem is considered. An exact formula for the mean squared error of the inverse estimator, involving expectations of functions of a Poisson random variable, is derived. The formula may be expressed in closed form if the number of observations in the calibration experiment is odd; for an even number of observations, the numerical evaluation of a simple integral or the use of a standard table of the confluent hypergeometric function is required. Previous expressions for the mean squared error have either been asymptotic expansions or estimates obtained by simulation.     

On the Evaluation of the Kolmogorov Statistic

At least two computer program packages, SPSS and STRATA, use simulated Bernoulli trials to draw (without replacement) a random sample of records from a finite population of records. Therefore, the size of the sample is a random variable. Two estimators of a population total under this sampling procedure are compared with the usual estimator under simple random sampling. Conditions under which the Bernoulli sampling estimators have almost the same mean squared error as the simple random-sample estimator are illustrated.     

Ridge Regression Estimation for Survey Samples

This paper describes procedure for constructing a vector of regression weights. Under the regression superpopulation model, the ridge regression estimator that has minimum model mean squared error is derived. Through a simulation study, we compare the ridge regression weights, regression weights, quadratic programming weights, and raking ratio weights. The ridge regression procedure with weights bounded by zero performed very well.     

A simulation study: estimation of population mean using two auxiliary variables in stratified random sampling

ABSTRACT

This paper deals with the problem of estimating the finite population mean in stratified random sampling by using two auxiliary variables. This paper proposed a ratio-cum-product exponential type estimator of population mean under different situations: (i) when there is presence of non-response and measurement errors on the study as well as auxiliary variables; (ii) when there is non-response on the study and auxiliary variables but with no measurement error; (iii) when there is complete response on study variable but there is presence of non-response and measurement error on the auxiliary variables and (iv) when there are complete response and measurement error on study as well as auxiliary variables. The expressions of the bias and mean square error of the proposed estimator have been obtained up to the first degree of approximation. The proposed estimator has been compared with usual unbiased estimator, ratio estimator and other existing estimators and the conditions obtained to show the efficacy of the proposed estimator over other considered estimators. Simulation study is carried out to support the theoretical findings.