A unified approach to robust estimation in finite population sampling

We argue that the conditional bias associated with a sample unit can be a useful measure of influence in finite population sampling. We use the conditional bias to derive robust estimators that are obtained by downweighting the most influential sample units. Under the model-based approach to inference, our proposed robust estimator is closely related to the well-known estimator of Chambers (1986). Under the design-based approach, it possesses the desirable feature of being applicable with most sampling designs used in practice. For stratified simple random sampling, it is essentially equivalent to the estimator of Kokic & Bell (1994). The proposed robust estimator depends on a tuning constant. In this paper, we propose a method for determining the tuning constant and show that the resulting estimator is consistent. Results from a simulation study suggest that our approach improves the efficiency of standard nonrobust estimators when the population contains units that may be influential if selected in the sample

A Review of Hot Deck Imputation for Survey Non-response

L'imputation hot deck est une méthode de gestion des données manquantes dans laquelle chaque valeur manquante est remplacée par une réponse observée à partir d'une unité“similaire.” Bien qu'elle soit largement utilisée en pratique, sa théorie n'est pas aussi développée que celle des autres méthodes d'imputation. Nous avons constaté qu'il n'existe aucun consensus quant à la meilleure faon d'appliquer les hot deck et obtenir des inférences à partir de la série de données complète. Ici, nous passons en revue les différentes formes de hot deck et les recherches existantes sur ses propriétés statistiques. Nous décrivons les applications du hot deck actuellement utilisées, y compris le hot deck du Bureau US du recensement pour la Current Population Survey (CPS). Nous proposons aussi des exemples nombreux de variations du hot deck à la troisième National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Certains domaines possibles de recherches futures sont mises en évidence.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78729/1/j.1751-5823.2010.00103.x.pd

Witches, Jews, and Redemption Through Sin in Jules Michelet's La Sorcière

The present study aims to bring into focus the antinomian doctrine of redemption through sin as it appears in Jules Michelet’s La Sorcière. According to Michelet, the witch-cult was both vestigial paganism and an attempt at overthrowing the Christian political order. The witch redeemed mankind by sinning against the Christian order, thus anticipating the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, as well as the French Revolution. The notion of redemption through sin, borrowed from Gershom Scholem, will enable us to compare Michelet’s and Scholem’s approaches to history and counter-history. It will also allow us to read La Sorcière against a broader religious background than is usually employed. Among the sources of Michelet, the often overlooked kabbalistic, possibly Sabbatian, subtext will be assessed in relation to his peculiar female messianism. Likewise, the episode, in La Sorcière, of the encounter between the witch and the Jew will be thoroughly studied. This may lead us to better comprehend Michelet’s theology, with the biblical God being akin, in his opinion, to that of the witches