Confidence Based Selection for Survey Sampling

Abstract

A system and method for confidence-based selection of items for use in conducting a computer-implemented survey. The survey presents information about a selected plurality of items to a survey participant, to elicit survey feedback information. Information regarding the plurality of items is stored, the stored information including display information about each of the plurality of items for presentation to a survey participant. A subset of items for presentation to a survey participant is selected in accordance with a predetermined selection algorithm. Information corresponding to the selected subset of items is displayed to the survey participant via a survey user interface. Rating information is input by the survey participant via the survey user interface indicating the survey participant's preferences as to items in the presented subset of items. The rating information is utilized in various manners to affect the selection algorithm for a subsequent survey.

1 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . A method for conducting a computer-implemented survey relating to a plurality of items from a plurality of survey participants, comprising the steps of:
 receiving rating information input by a particular subset of a plurality of survey participants via a survey user interface indicating the survey participants' preferences as to items in a presented subset of items of the plurality of items;   computing the mean of the rating information;   computing the standard error of the mean of the rating information;   determining a confidence score utilizing the standard error of the rating information; and   utilizing the confidence score to select a different subset of the plurality of items for presentation to a different subset of the plurality of survey participants,   whereby items that might benefit from additional ratings by additional participants are selected for presentation in a subsequent survey.   
     
     
         49 - 76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . A method for conducting a computer-implemented survey relating to a plurality of items from a plurality of survey participants so as to favor selection of items with a higher mean rating, comprising the steps of:
 storing information regarding the plurality of items, the stored information including display information about each of the plurality of items for presentation to a survey participant;   determining a mean rating of items previously presented to survey participants;   biasing the plurality of items as a function of the mean rating of items from the mean rating determining step in anticipation of a selection operation;   conducting a selection operation involving selecting a subset of items from the plurality of items for presenting to a survey participant in accordance with a predetermined function that utilizes a probability of selection;   presenting the display information corresponding to the selected subset of items to a survey participant via a survey user interface; and   receiving rating information input by the survey participant via the survey user interface indicating the survey participant's preferences as to items in the subset of items presented,   whereby a biased random selection of items to be presented is conducted so as to favor selection of items with a higher mean rating.   
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77 , wherein the biasing step involves application of a rank influence factor (rif) that may be adjusted to increase or decrease the probability of an item being selected based on the ranking of one item in relation to another item.