Analysis of Survey Data: 101 and Beyond

Though the workshop will not go into mathematical details and proofs, it will provide some reasoning and intuition behind the key formulas used in survey sampling. It will also look at various examples using the statistical software SAS (free to students, faculty and staff at the University of Waterloo). In addition to illustrating basic data analysis techniques, those examples aim to provide guidance on some of the pitfalls of analyzing survey data. Part 4 is a practical hands-on opportunity for participants to conduct basic data analysis using SAS on their own laptop.

Participants are not expected to know about survey sampling, but should have some knowledge of basic statistical concepts (ideally have taken at least one course in statistics).

This two-day workshop will be held at DC 1568.

Registration is free and open to all University of Waterloo faculty, staff, and students (both graduate and undergraduate). 

Part 1: Dec 4th, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM

• Introduction (vocabulary, notation, and basic concepts)
• Sampling designs and selection probabilities
• Introduction to sampling weights

Part 2: Dec 4th, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

• Estimating a population total (i.e., Horvitz-Thompson estimator)
• Estimating a population mean (i.e., Hajek estimator)
• Estimating a population proportion
• Selection bias and other non-sampling errors
• Rao-Scott Chi-Square test

Part 3: Dec 5th, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM

• Linear and logistic regression using survey data

Part 4*: Dec 5th, 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

• Introduction to SAS OnDemand for Academics, basic SAS commands and procedures
• Using the SURVEYFREQ and SURVEYMEANS procedures
• Using the SURVEYREG and SURVEYLOGISTIC procedures
• Basic data manipulations, better looking output (e.g., formats, titles, footnotes) and ODS

* In Part 4, participants will conduct basic data analysis using SAS OnDemand for Academics (free to students, faculty and staff at the University of Waterloo). Hence, participants must bring their own laptop and register. Installation instructions will be provided, but in person help will also be available from 4:00 to 4:30 pm on day 1.