Q.What is a statistical survey? Explain briefly the main steps involved in conducting a statistical survey.

A statistical survey is the whole procedure of a statistical study, split into a planning phase and an execution phase.

Meaning. A statistical survey (statistical enquiry/investigation) is the complete, organised process of collecting, organising, analysing and interpreting numerical data on a particular problem for a definite purpose. It has two broad phases — planning and execution.

Stage A — Planning the survey

1. Define the objective (purpose) — state clearly why the survey is conducted; every later decision depends on it.
2. Define the scope — fix the coverage: area, time period, type of items/persons, and characteristics to study.
3. Decide the sources of data — whether data is collected afresh (primary) or taken from existing records (secondary).
4. Choose census or sample — study every unit (census / complete enumeration) or a representative part (sample survey); a census is complete but costly, a sample is cheaper but carries sampling error.
5. Select the collection technique and design the questionnaire/schedule — decide how data will be gathered (interview, mailed questionnaire, enumerators).
6. Fix the required accuracy and organise — set an acceptable accuracy level, and arrange staff, budget and timetable.

Stage B — Executing the survey

7. Collection of data — the field work of gathering raw data.

8. Organisation — editing, classifying and tabulating the raw data.

9. Presentation — showing data through tables, diagrams and graphs.

10. Analysis — applying averages, dispersion, correlation, index numbers, etc.

11. Interpretation — interpreting results against the original objective, drawing conclusions and preparing a report. …

A common error is listing the steps out of order or merging planning and execution — the objective must come first (it governs everything else), and interpretation must come last (it is the whole point of th …