A general ratio estimator and its application in model based inference

A general ratio estimator of a population total is proposed as an approximation to the estimator introduced by Srivastava (1985,Bull. Internat. Statist. Inst.,51(10.3), 1–16). This estimator incorporates additional information gathered during the survey in a new way. Statistical properties of the general ratio estimator are given and its relationship to the estimator proposed by Srivastava is explored. A special kind of general ratio estimator is suggested and it turns out to be very efficient in a simulation study when compared to several other commonly used estimators.The work of this author was supported by AFOSR grant #830080.