Sampling for National Surveys in Education

Martin Murphy and Wolfram Schulz, Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER), 2006

Note for readers

This paper was presented to the Performance Measurement and Reporting Taskforce (PMRT) in October 2006 and members agreed it would be a useful resource to publish on-line.

The aim of the paper is to provide information about the design of national surveys in education in recent years. The major steps in the survey sampling process are explained with reference made to the methodologies uses in international surveys, particularly TIMSS and PISA, and to how these are applied in the Australian context.

The paper discusses the reasons for using the preferred sampling methodology and the consequences of the process on field operations and in the analysis of survey data. Consideration is given to population, sample design and size, stratification of the sample frame and weighting of the data from different strata.

The paper does not necessarily represent the views of either MCEETYA Ministers or PMRT members.

The paper may be downloaded here.

Curriculum Corporation as the legal entity for the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) owns the copyright in this publication. This publication or any part of it may be used freely only for non-profit education purposes provided the source is clearly acknowledged. The publication may not be sold or used for any other commercial purpose.

Other than as permitted above or by the Copyright Act 1968 (Commonwealth), no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, published, performed, communicated or adapted, regardless of the form or means (electronic, photocopying or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Address inquiries regarding copyright to:
MCEETYA Secretariat, PO Box 202, Carlton South, VIC 3053, Australia.