Lesson 5: Auxillary Data and Regression Estimation

Overview Section

This lesson discusses when and how to use regression estimation. An example of using regression is given. Then we compare the regression estimate by simply using the sample mean, not taking advantage of the auxiliary information. To illustrate that one has to choose the right model, we use the ratio estimate for the example even though the condition for using the ratio estimate was not satisfied. And, not surprisingly, the ratio estimate performs poorly since it is not the appropriate model for that data set.

 Lesson 5:  Ch. 8.1 of Sampling by Steven Thompson, 3rd edition

Upon completion of this lesson you should be able to:

  1. Identify the appropriate reasons and situations for using regression estimates,
  2. Assess the conditions to determine whether it is appropriate to use the regression estimate,
  3. Compute the regression estimate and its estimated variance,
  4. Compute confidence interval based on regression estimate,
  5. Compare the performance of the regression estimate and the expansion estimate, and recognize that the regression estimate outperforms the expansion estimate when the auxillary data is useful, and
  6. Compare the performance of the regression estimate and ratio estimate, and recognize that the regression estimate outperforms the ratio estimate when the condition for using the ratio estimate is not satisfied.