Model‐based inference using judgement post‐stratified samples in finite populations

Abstract

SummaryIn survey sampling studies, statistical inference can be constructed either using design based randomisation or super population model. Design‐based inference using judgement post‐stratified (JPS) sampling is available in the literature. This paper develops statistical inference based on super population model in a finite population setting using JPS sampling design. For a JPS sample, first a simple random sample (SRS) is constructed without replacement. The sample units in this SRS are then stratified based on judgement ranking in a small comparison set to induce a data structure in the sample. The paper shows that the mean of a JPS sample is model unbiased and has smaller mean square prediction error (MSPE) than the MSPE of a simple random sample mean. Using an unbiased estimator of the MSPE, the paper also constructs prediction confidence interval for the population mean. A small‐scale empirical study shows that the JPS sample predictor performs better than an SRS predictor when the quality of ranking information in JPS sampling is not poor. The paper also shows that the coverage probabilities of prediction intervals are very close to the nominal coverage probability. Proposed inferential procedure is applied to a real data set obtained from an agricultural research farm.