Advantages of sample compared with census?

Answer 1

Census

Advantages:

• It gathers all the relevant information associated with the member i.i household income, occupation, age, gender and etc.
• It helps to understand the characteristics of the population as a whole.

Disadvantages:

• It is very time consuming and expensive.
• People which are being surveyed may not be able to provide with the accurate information.

Sample

Advantages:

• There are various methods available to you such as street interviews, personal interview, postal questionnaires.
• it is cheap and easy.
• You are likely to get a broaden ideas about the answers provided.

Disadvantages:

• It is time consuming.
• you are likely to pick the same member to survey especially if you are street interviewing and you have other colleges which are likely to question to the same person.
• answers are short

Answer 2

• › The census will give a comprehensive picture of the social and living conditions of our people in 2011. Only a census can provide such complete detail. The census is not, however, an end in itself! Rather the results are essential tools for effective policy, planning and decision making purposes.

• › Ireland has been conducting Censuses of Population since 1841. This enables us to track developments over a long period with considerable accuracy. The census is therefore a fundamental part of our national heritage and collective knowledge.

• › At national level current population statistics are essential for planning the provision of health care, education, employment, etc.

  Regional figures are critical for determining regional policy and for the operation of regional authorities (e.g. Health Boards).

• › The greatest strength of the census is the provision of detailed population figures at local level. These help to identify likely demand for schools and hospitals, areas of relatively high unemployment, the best location for new shops, etc.

• › Article 16.2 of the Constitution (Bunreacht na hÉireann) lays down that the total membership of Dáil Eireann depends on the population as measured by the census (i.e. 1 TD per 20,000 to 30,000 persons). Constituency reviews normally take place once the definitive results of the census have been published.
• › The census is also the only means of accurately measuring the exact extent of migration. By comparing the results of successive censuses, and taking account of the number of births and deaths that have occurred over the same period, we get an accurate measure of net migration (the difference between inward and outward migration).