Rolling samples and Censuses - ARCHIVED

Rolling censuses combine F nonoverlapping periodic samples of 1/F each, so designed that cumulating the F periods yields a complete census of the whole population area with F / F = 1. Intermediate cumulations of k samples would yield samples of k/F for more timely uses (annual or quinquennial censuses). Area sampling frames would cover the national territory for naturally mobile populations. These methods may often be preferable to other alternative methods for censuses, also discussed. Asymmetrical cumulations are also recommended to counter the problems of small sample cells for area domains (provinces, regions, states) common to most countries and to other population units. Split-panel-designs offer another use for cumulating periodic surveys by combining nonoverlapping portions a - b - c - d - with panels p for partial overlaps, pa - pb - pc - pd -, for multipurpose designs.