An information-theoretic approach to effective inference for Z-functionals.

In this paper, through an information-theoretic approach, we construct estimations and confidence intervals of Z-functionals involving finite population and with the presence of auxiliary information. In particular, we give a method of estimating the variance of finite population with known mean. The modified estimates and confidence intervals for Z-functionals can adequately use the auxiliary information, at least not worse than what the standard ones do. A simulation study is presented to assess the performance of the modified estimates for the finite sample case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]