This paper quantitatively assesses to what extent signatures in marriage certificates can inform about literacy rates in pre-industrial states. The direct estimates are based on a novel and balanced random sample of marriage certificates for pre-unification Italy in 1815. Such figures are...

This paper develops optimal designs when it is not feasible for every cluster to be represented in a sample as in stratified design, by assuming equal probability two-stage sampling where clusters are small areas. The paper develops allocation methods for two-stage sample surveys where...

This paper quantitatively assesses to what extent signatures in marriage certificates can inform about literacy rates in pre-industrial states. The direct estimates are based on a novel and balanced random sample of marriage certificates for pre-unification Italy in 1815. Such figures are...

This paper develops optimal designs when it is not feasible for every cluster to be represented in a sample as in stratified design, by assuming equal probability two-stage sampling where clusters are small areas. The paper develops allocation methods for two-stage sample surveys where...