ABSTRACT
The first step in the applied analysis of survey data involves defining the research questions that will be addressed using a given set of survey data. The next step is to study and understand the sampling design that generated the sample of elements (e.g., persons, businesses) from the target population of interest, given that the actual survey data with which the reader will be working were collected from the elements in this sample. This chapter aims to help the readers understand the complex sample designs that they are likely to encounter in practice and identify the features of the designs that have important implications for correct analyses of the survey data.
