How can researchers effectively design multi-topic household surveys to capture accurate socio-economic data in developing nations? Margaret Grosh and Paul Glewwe synthesize fifteen years of operational experience from the World Bank’s Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) to provide a comprehensive framework for survey design. The authors detail the technical challenges of data collection in resource-constrained environments, offering a structured approach to questionnaire development that balances theoretical rigor with practical field realities. By examining the evolution of survey instruments, the text establishes best practices for measuring poverty, consumption, and household welfare.

Experts and development practitioners recognize this three-volume set as a foundational resource for survey design in international development. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which serves as a practical manual for economists and field researchers tasked with complex data gathering.