Re: st: RE: Descriptives using multiple-imputed complex survey design data

[sjsamuels@gmail.com]

Rosie asked:  ..."is it a common practice to do descriptive analysis
(mean, proportion, cross-tabs) using all design features, including
weight, strata, and cluster variables?  I had assumed that it
is....But then do people use the descriptive statistics to make
inference to the population?"


It depends on the purpose of your study.  For most studies, I describe
the *sample* as is, so that people can see the n's.   If the purpose
of the study is describe the population, then I also use -tab- -mean-
-prop- survey commands with full features.. But frequently, the
purpose is analytic (regression, testing associations) and much is
known about the population (from a census, for example).  In that
case, there is no reason to describe the population.

I suggest that you read a good introductory survey text, for example
Sharon Lohr's Sampling: Design and Analysis.
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