Sampling

Question 1

What is a random sample?

Answer 1

Selected cases from the population where everyone had an equal chance of being picked.

Question 3

What is sampling error?

Answer 3

the difference between the population mean and the sample mean.

Question 4

What are the benefits of random sampling?

Answer 4

• decrease bias because everyone had an equal chance of being selected
• many statistics are based on the assumption that data was collected randomly (more tools available for analysis)
• greater confidence in conclusions of research; findings can be generalized

Question 5

What is a confidence interval?

Answer 5

• “margin of error”
• estimates of the upper and lower population parameters based on a sample statistic
• indicates how far apart the sample mean and the population mean probably are

Question 6

How would you minimize sampling error?

Answer 6

• representative sample= -one that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population which it is drawn from.
• large sample size= -big enough to make reasonable interpretations -as sample size gets larger, error is reduced