Synopsis

Abstract

Prediction theory for sampling surveys can be considered as a general framework for statistical inference on the characteristics of finite populations. Well—known estimators of population totals or population variances encountered in the classical theory, as expansion, ratio, regression, and other estimators, can be obtained as predictors in a general prediction theory, under some special (sometimes degenerate) models. The general prediction theory is based on superpopulation models, which consider the values of the population elements as random variables having joint distributions. These joint distributions might be specified completely or partially.