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Estimating Population Size With Link-Tracing Sampling

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  • Kyle Vincent
  • Steve Thompson

Abstract

We present a new design and method for estimating the size of a hidden population best reached through a link-tracing design. The design is based on selecting initial samples at random and then adaptively tracing links to add new members. The inferential procedure involves the Rao–Blackwell theorem applied to a sufficient statistic markedly different from the usual one that arises in sampling from a finite population. The strategy involves a combination of link-tracing and mark-recapture estimation methods. An empirical application is described. The result demonstrates that the strategy can efficiently incorporate adaptively selected members of the sample into the inferential procedure. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.

Suggested Citation

  • Kyle Vincent & Steve Thompson, 2017. "Estimating Population Size With Link-Tracing Sampling," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 112(519), pages 1286-1295, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jnlasa:v:112:y:2017:i:519:p:1286-1295
    DOI: 10.1080/01621459.2016.1212712
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Steven K. Thompson, 2006. "Adaptive Web Sampling," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 62(4), pages 1224-1234, December.
    2. Wen-Han Hwang & Richard Huggins, 2005. "An examination of the effect of heterogeneity on the estimation of population size using capture-recapture data," Biometrika, Biometrika Trust, vol. 92(1), pages 229-233, March.
    3. Klovdahl, A.S. & Potterat, J.J. & Woodhouse, D.E. & Muth, J.B. & Muth, S.Q. & Darrow, W.W., 1994. "Social networks and infectious disease: The Colorado Springs study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 79-88, January.
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