Innovative Sampling Methods

Feb 13, 2023

In many countries, alternative sampling approaches are needed which do not depend on up-to-date census data or interviewer involvement.

I have been involved in two field experiments to develop and test new methods:

  • Ethiopia: As a World Bank consultant, I helped test Random Geographic Cluster Sampling. This method involves selecting random points and interviewing all persons within a given radius of a points. The survey successfully found and interview Pastoralists in the Afar region. Our experiences were [published] (https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/jos/30/2/article-p191.xml) in the special issue of the Journal of Official Statistics on hard to reach populations.

  • India: RTI conducted an experiment in Uttar Pradesh to compare random walk (a commonly-used but non-probability method of household sampling) with our alternative, called geosampling. We will compare the response rate, cost, bias and variance of the two approaches. Results will be ready in 2020.

In addition, I have published several papers and book chapters on related topics.

Stephanie Eckman
Stephanie Eckman
Researcher & Data Scientist

I collect high quality data for social science and model training

Publications

Sampling Nomads: A New Technique for Remote, Hard-to-Reach, and Mobile Populations
Livestock are an important component of rural livelihoods in developing countries, but data about this source of income and wealth are …
Kristen Himelein, Stephanie Eckman, Siobhan Murray
PDF Project DOI

Events

Precision of Estimates of Nonresponse Bias in Surveys
Survey data producers increasingly provide estimates of nonresponse bias in several variables when they release or analyze data. …
Nov 4, 2020 1:00 PM virtual
Stephanie Eckman
Project stephnie
Precision of Estimates of Nonresponse Bias in Surveys