This guide describes ranked set sampling, discusses its relative advantages over simple random sampling, and provides examples of potential applications in environmental sampling.

Formerly under the jurisdiction of Committee D34 on Waste Management, this guide was withdrawn without replacement in January 2012 because of limited use by industry.

Ranked set sampling is cost-effective, unbiased, more precise and more representative of the population than simple random sampling under a variety of conditions (1).³

Ranked set sampling (RSS) can be used when:

4.2.1 The population is likely to have stratification in concentrations of contaminant.

4.2.2 There is an auxiliary variable.

4.2.3 The auxiliary variable has strong correlation with the primary variable.

4.2.4 The auxiliary variable is either quick or inexpensive to measure, relative to the primary variable.

This guide provides a ranked set sampling method only under the rule of equal allocation. This guide is intended for those who manage, design, and implement sampling and analysis plans for management of wastes and contaminated media. This guide can be used in conjunction with the DQO process (see Practice D 5792).

1.1 This guide describes ranked set sampling, discusses its relative advantages over simple random sampling, and provides examples of potential applications in environmental sampling.

1.2 Ranked set sampling is useful and cost-effective when there is an auxiliary variable, which can be inexpensively measured relative to the primary variable, and when the auxiliary variable has correlation with the primary variable. The resultant estimation of the mean concentration is unbiased, more precise than simple random sampling, and more representative of the population under a wide variety of conditions.

This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.