A Comparison of Periodic Survey Designs Employing Multi-Stage Sampling

Citation

Lesser, Virginia M. & Kalsbeek, William D. (1997). A Comparison of Periodic Survey Designs Employing Multi-Stage Sampling. Environmental and Ecological Statistics, 4(2), 117-130.

Abstract

Sampling designs considered for a national scale environmental monitoring programme are compared. Specifically, design strategies designed to monitor one aspect of this environmental programme, agro-ecosystem health, are assessed. Two types of panel survey designs are evaluated within the framework of two-stage sampling. Comparisons of these designs are discussed with regard to precision, cost, and other issues that need to be considered in planning long-term surveys. To compare precision, the underlying variance of a simple estimator of mean difference is derived for each of the two designs. A variance and cost model accounting for the different rotational sampling schemes across designs are developed. Optimum stage allocation for each design are assessed with the variance-cost models. The best choice of design varied with the conditions underlying the variance model and the degree of other sources of survey error expected in the programme.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1023/A:101856621

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

1997

Journal Title

Environmental and Ecological Statistics

Author(s)

Lesser, Virginia M.
Kalsbeek, William D.