Administrative Records for Survey Methodology

Praise for the First Edition: «The book makes a valuable contribution by synthesizing current research and identifying areas for future investigation for each aspect of the survey process.» —Journal of the American Statistical Association «Overall, the high quality of the text material is matched by the quality of writing . . .» —Public Opinion Quarterly «. . . it should find an audience everywhere surveys are being conducted.» —Technometrics This new edition of Survey Methodology continues to provide a state-of-the-science presentation of essential survey methodology topics and techniques. The volume's six world-renowned authors have updated this Second Edition to present newly emerging approaches to survey research and provide more comprehensive coverage of the major considerations in designing and conducting a sample survey. Key topics in survey methodology are clearly explained in the book's chapters, with coverage including sampling frame evaluation, sample design, development of questionnaires, evaluation of questions, alternative modes of data collection, interviewing, nonresponse, post-collection processing of survey data, and practices for maintaining scientific integrity. Acknowledging the growing advances in research and technology, the Second Edition features: Updated explanations of sampling frame issues for mobile telephone and web surveys New scientific insight on the relationship between nonresponse rates and nonresponse errors Restructured discussion of ethical issues in survey research, emphasizing the growing research results on privacy, informed consent, and confidentiality issues The latest research findings on effective questionnaire development techniques The addition of 50% more exercises at the end of each chapter, illustrating basic principles of survey design An expanded FAQ chapter that addresses the concerns that accompany newly established methods Providing valuable and informative perspectives on the most modern methods in the field, Survey Methodology, Second Edition is an ideal book for survey research courses at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also an indispensable reference for practicing survey methodologists and any professional who employs survey research methods.

A complete and comprehensive collaboration providing insight on future approaches to telephone survey methodology Over the past fifteen years, advances in technology have transformed the field of survey methodology, from how interviews are conducted to the management and analysis of compiled data. Advances in Telephone Survey Methodology is an all—encompassing and authoritative resource that presents a theoretical, methodological, and statistical treatment of current practices while also establishing a discussion on how state—of—the—art developments in telecommunications have and will continue to revolutionize the telephone survey process. Seventy—five prominent international researchers and practitioners from government, academic, and private sectors have collaborated on this pioneering volume to discuss basic survey techniques and introduce the future directions of the telephone survey. Concepts and findings are organized in four parts—sampling and estimation, data collection, operations, and nonresponse—equipping the reader with the needed practical applications to approach issues such as choice of target population, sample design, questionnaire construction, interviewing training, and measurement error. The book also introduces important topics that have been overlooked in previous literature, including: The impact of mobile telephones on telephone surveys and the rising presence of mobile—only households worldwide The design and construction of questionnaires using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) software The emerging use of wireless communication and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) versus the telephone Methods for measuring and improving interviewer performance and productivity Privacy, confidentiality, and respondent burden as main factors in telephone survey nonresponse Procedures for the adjustment of nonresponse in telephone surveys In—depth reviews of the literature presented along with a full bibliography, assembled from references throughout the world Advances in Telephone Survey Methodology is an indispensable reference for survey researchers and practitioners in almost any discipline involving research methods such as sociology, social psychology, survey methodology, and statistics. This book also serves as an excellent text for courses and seminars on survey methods at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Based on deep theoretical as well as practical experience in Reliability and Quality Sciences, Robust Design Methodology for Reliability constructively addresses practical reliability problems. It offers a comprehensive design theory for reliability, utilizing robust design methodology and six sigma frameworks. In particular, the relation between un-reliability and variation and uncertainty is explored and reliability improvement measures in early product development stages are suggested. Many companies today utilise design for Six Sigma (DfSS) for strategic improvement of the design process, but often without explicitly describing the reliability perspective; this book explains how reliability design can relate to and work with DfSS and illustrates this with real–world problems. The contributors advocate designing for robustness, i.e. insensitivity to variation in the early stages of product design development. Methods for rational treatment of uncertainties in model assumptions are also presented. This book promotes a new approach to reliability thinking that addresses the design process and proneness to failure in the design phase via sensitivity to variation and uncertainty; includes contributions from both academics and industry practitioners with a broad scope of expertise, including quality science, mathematical statistics and reliability engineering; takes the innovative approach of promoting the study of variation and uncertainty as a basis for reliability work; includes case studies and illustrative examples that translate the theory into practice. Robust Design Methodology for Reliability provides a starting point for new thinking in practical reliability improvement work that will appeal to advanced designers and reliability specialists in academia and industry including fatigue engineers, product development and process/ quality professionals, especially those interested in and/ or using the DfSS framework.

With the impact of the recent financial crises, more attention must be given to new models in finance rejecting “Black-Scholes-Samuelson” assumptions leading to what is called non-Gaussian finance. With the growing importance of Solvency II, Basel II and III regulatory rules for insurance companies and banks, value at risk (VaR) – one of the most popular risk indicator techniques plays a fundamental role in defining appropriate levels of equities. The aim of this book is to show how new VaR techniques can be built more appropriately for a crisis situation. VaR methodology for non-Gaussian finance looks at the importance of VaR in standard international rules for banks and insurance companies; gives the first non-Gaussian extensions of VaR and applies several basic statistical theories to extend classical results of VaR techniques such as the NP approximation, the Cornish-Fisher approximation, extreme and a Pareto distribution. Several non-Gaussian models using Copula methodology, L?vy processes along with particular attention to models with jumps such as the Merton model are presented; as are the consideration of time homogeneous and non-homogeneous Markov and semi-Markov processes and for each of these models. Contents 1. Use of Value-at-Risk (VaR) Techniques for Solvency II, Basel II and III. 2. Classical Value-at-Risk (VaR) Methods. 3. VaR Extensions from Gaussian Finance to Non-Gaussian Finance. 4. New VaR Methods of Non-Gaussian Finance. 5. Non-Gaussian Finance: Semi-Markov Models. About the Authors Marine Habart-Corlosquet is a Qualified and Certified Actuary at BNP Paribas Cardif, Paris, France. She is co-director of EURIA (Euro-Institut d’Actuariat, University of West Brittany, Brest, France), and associate researcher at Telecom Bretagne (Brest, France) as well as a board member of the French Institute of Actuaries. She teaches at EURIA, Telecom Bretagne and Ecole Centrale Paris (France). Her main research interests are pandemics, Solvency II internal models and ALM issues for insurance companies. Jacques Janssen is now Honorary Professor at the Solvay Business School (ULB) in Brussels, Belgium, having previously taught at EURIA (Euro-Institut d’Actuariat, University of West Brittany, Brest, France) and Telecom Bretagne (Brest, France) as well as being a director of Jacan Insurance and Finance Services, a consultancy and training company. Raimondo Manca is Professor of mathematical methods applied to economics, finance and actuarial science at University of Roma “La Sapienza” in Italy. He is associate editor for the journal Methodology and Computing in Applied Probability. His main research interests are multidimensional linear algebra, computational probability, application of stochastic processes to economics, finance and insurance and simulation models.

Grounding is the fundamental measures to ensure the safe operation of power systems, including power apparatus and control/monitoring systems, and guarantee the personal safety. Grounding technology is an interdiscipline involving electrical engineering, high voltage technology, electric safety, electromagnetics, numerical analysis, and geological exploration Methodology and Technology for Power System Grounding: Covers all topics related to power system grounding Presents fundaments and theories of grounding systems Well balances technology and methodology related to grounding system design Helps to understand the grounding analysis softwares Highlights the advanced research works in the field of grounding systems Comprehensively introduces numerical analysis methods Discovers impulse ionization phenomenon of soil around the grounding conductors Touches on lightning impulse characteristics of grounding devices for towers and buildings As a comprehensive treatment of the topic, Methodology and Technology for Power System Grounding is ideal for engineers and researchers in power system, lightning protection, and grounding. The book will also better equip postgraduates, senior undergraduate students in electrical engineering.

AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE TO THE EVOLUTION OF THEORY AND METHODOLOGY WITHIN COGNITIVE INTERVIEW PROCESSES Providing a comprehensive approach to cognitive interviewing in the field of survey methodology, Cognitive Interviewing Methodology delivers a clear guide that draws upon modern, cutting-edge research from a variety of fields. Each chapter begins by summarizing the prevailing paradigms that currently dominate the field of cognitive interviewing. Then underlying theoretical foundations are presented, which supplies readers with the necessary background to understand newly-evolving techniques in the field. The theories lead into developed and practiced methods by leading practitioners, researchers, and/or academics. Finally, the edited guide lays out the limitations of cognitive interviewing studies and explores the benefits of cognitive interviewing with other methodological approaches. With a primary focus on question evaluation, Cognitive Interviewing Methodology also includes: Step-by-step procedures for conducting cognitive interviewing studies, which includes the various aspects of data collection, questionnaire design, and data interpretation Newly developed tools to benefit cognitive interviewing studies as well as the field of question evaluation, such as Q-Notes, a data entry and analysis software application, and Q-Bank, an online resource that houses question evaluation studies A unique method for questionnaire designers, survey managers, and data users to analyze, present, and document survey data results from a cognitive interviewing study An excellent reference for survey researchers and practitioners in the social sciences who utilize cognitive interviewing techniques in their everyday work, Cognitive Interviewing Methodology is also a useful supplement for courses on survey methods at the upper-undergraduate and graduate-level.

Written for enterprise risk management (ERM) practitioners who recognize ERM?s value to their organization, Enterprise Risk Management: A Methodology for Achieving Strategic Objectives thoroughly examines operational risk management and allows you to leverage ERM methodology in your organization by putting author and ERM authority Gregory Monahan's Strategic Objectives At Risk (SOAR) methodology to work. A must-read for anyone interested in risk management as a strategic, value-adding tool, this no-nonsense book shows you how to use ERM and SOAR to empower your company to go from stuck to competitive.