Prof Patrick Sturgis COL.8.10

This course is available on the MSc in Applied Social Data Science, MSc in Human Geography and Urban Studies (Research), MSc in Marketing, MSc in Social Research Methods, MSc in Statistics, MSc in Statistics (Financial Statistics), MSc in Statistics (Financial Statistics) (LSE and Fudan), MSc in Statistics (Financial Statistics) (Research), MSc in Statistics (Research), MSc in Statistics (Social Statistics) and MSc in Statistics (Social Statistics) (Research). This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

This course is not controlled access. If you register for a place and meet the prerequisites, if any, you are likely to be given a place.

Knowledge of basic descriptive and inferential statistics, to the level of MY451 or equivalent.

This course provides an introduction to the methodology of the design and analysis of social surveys. It is intended both for students who plan to design and collect their own surveys, and for those who need to understand and use data from existing large-scale surveys. Topics covered include concepts of target populations, survey estimation and inference, sampling error and nonsampling error; sample design and sampling theory; modes of data collection; web surveys; survey interviewing; cognitive processes in answering survey questions; design and evaluation of survey questions; nonresponse error; survey weights; analysis of data from complex surveys; accessing, preparing and working with secondary data from existing social surveys; comparative and longitudinal surveys. The course includes computer classes, using the statistical computer package Stata; no previous knowledge of Stata is required.

This course is delivered through a combination of classes and lectures totalling a minimum of 30 hours across Lent Term. 

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Lent Term.

Exercises from some of the seminars and computer classes are submitted for feedback.

Groves, R M, Fowler, F J, Couper, M P, Lepkowski, J M, Singer, E, and

Tourangeau, R (2009). Survey Methodology (2nd ed.). Wiley.

Exam (50%, duration: 2 hours) in the summer exam period.
Project (50%, 2500 words).

The project is a report of approximately 20 to 30 pages, including tables and figures, or approximately 2,500 words, reporting the data analysis of a given research question and data set.