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Chapter 2

Chapter 2. Collecting Data with Surveys and Scientific Studies. Surveys. Instruments used to obtain demographic characteristics and attitudes or behavioral tendencies from subjects Passive in nature, obtaining “naturally occuring” information Many fields conduct surveys regularly:

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Chapter 2

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  1. Chapter 2 Collecting Data with Surveys and Scientific Studies

  2. Surveys • Instruments used to obtain demographic characteristics and attitudes or behavioral tendencies from subjects • Passive in nature, obtaining “naturally occuring” information • Many fields conduct surveys regularly: • Public Opinions: Gallup, CNN, WSJ, TV Networks • Government Bureaus: Census, Labor Statistics • Business: Customer satisfaction, Quality, Practices • Recreation: State parks and wildlife area usage

  3. Sampling Methods • Simple Random Sampling: Frame listing all N elements of population exists. Random numbers used to obtain a sample of n elements such that all samples of size n had equal chance of selection • Stratified Random Sampling: Population split into homogeneous groups (strata) based on auxiliary variable(s) such as gender, income, race. Simple random samples taken from each stratum. • Cluster Sampling: Population broken into set of clusters (often based on location), and sample of clusters are selected, with all elements in sampled cluster measured • Systematic Sampling: Element selected at random near top of list, then every kth element subsequently measured

  4. Survey Problems • Nonresponse: If people who do not respond tend to differ systematically from responders, results will be biased • Measurement Problems • Recall: Tendency to forget occurences of certain things or be unable to give accurate counts of frequency of occurrence • Leading Questions: Wording of questions can lead to certain responses that can bias survey results • Unclear Wording: Different people can interpret the same question in different ways, making results inaccurate when responses depend on interpretations

  5. Survey Techniques • Personal Interviews: In person, face-to-face meetings between interviewer and interviewee. Biases can occur due to the interaction. • Telephone Interviews: Interview over the phone. Less costly than personal interviews. Bias can occur due to unlisted numbers and different schedules for different people. • Self-administered Questionnaire: Inexpensive, but notoriously low response rates. Can be done by mail or on internet. • Direct Observation: Measurements made directly using monitoring equipment or public records

  6. Scientific Studies • Designed Experiment: Investigation to obtain/ compare measurements from subjects under various conditions • Elements of Experiments: • Factors: Variables to be controlled by experimenter • Measurements/Observations: Responses that are recorded (but not controlled) by the experimenter. Outcome of interest • Treatments: Conditions constructed from factor(s) to be assigned to units. Control is “benchmark” condition. • Experimental Unit: Physical entity receiving treatment • Replication: Treatments are assigned to more than one unit so that experimental error/variation can be measured • Measurement Unit: Unit on which observation is made. Could be experimental unit, or a “smaller part” (e.g. student in class)

  7. Treatment Designs • 1-Factor: Completely Randomized Design • Multi-Factor: Factorial Treatment Design • Full factorial: All combinations of factor levels are observed in experiment. • Fractional factorial: Subset of all possible factor level combinations observed (when too many exist) • Randomized Block Design: Experimental units broken into multiple measurement units (blocks), and treatments assigned at random to measurement units within blocks • Latin Square Design: Similar to Randomized Block Design, except positions within blocks have effects to be controlled (e.g. tire positions on an automobile)

  8. Factorial Treatment Design in CRD • 2 Factors: A and B (A has a levels, B has b levels) • 1-at-a-Time Approach: Vary levels of Factor A, while holding factor B constant and vice versa. Can obtain main effects for each factor, but not interaction. • Interaction: When effects of levels of one factor depend on the level of the other factor, and vice versa • Factorial Treatment Structures: Generate all ab combinations of levels of Factors A and B. Randomly assign experimental units to these treatments as in Completely Randomized Design with one factor.

  9. Statistical Interaction Absent

  10. Statistical Interaction Present

  11. Observational Studies • Sometimes cannot assign experimental units to treatments due to nature or ethics • Gender, race, religion cannot be assigned to subjects • Items cannot be assigned at random to manufacturer (they are built by firm) • Would like to compare factor levels anyway • More difficult to assess causal relationships since external factors may be related to identified factors in study which cause observed differences • Often will attempt to “control” for other factors in analysis

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