SPD Sampling and Weighting

Because the Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD) estimates are based on a sample, they may differ somewhat from the figures that would have been obtained if a complete census had been taken (using the same questionnaire, instructions, and enumerators). There are two types of errors possible in an estimate based on a sample survey: nonsampling and sampling. Although it is possible to provide estimates of the magnitude of the SPD sampling error, this is not true of non-sampling error. This chapter begins by describing sources of non-sampling error in the SPD, then discusses sampling error—its estimation and its use in data analysis.

Nonsampling Errors

Sampling Errors

Contact: (dsd.survey.of.program.dynamics@census.gov)
URL: http://www.census.gov/spd