Chapter 7: Sampling and Sampling Distributions

Aims of Sampling Basic Principles of Probability Types of Random Samples Sampling Distributions Sampling Distribution of the Mean Standard Error of the Mean The Central Limit Theorem

Chapter 7 1

Sampling
Population A group that includes all the cases (individuals, objects, or groups) in which the researcher is interested. Sample A relatively small subset from a population.

Chapter 7 2

Notation

Chapter 7 3

Sampling
Parameter A measure (for example, mean or standard deviation) used to describe a population distribution. Statistic A measure (for example, mean or standard deviation) used to describe a sample distribution.

Chapter 7 4

Sampling: Parameter & Statistic

Chapter 7 5

Probability Sampling
Probability sampling A method of sampling that enables the researcher to specify for each case in the population the probability of its inclusion in the sample.

Chapter 7 6

Random Sampling
Simple Random Sample A sample designed in such a way as to ensure that (1) every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen and (2) every combination of N members has an equal chance of being chosen. This can be done using a computer, calculator, or a table of random numbers

Chapter 7 7

Population inferences can be made...

Chapter 7 8

...by selecting a representative sample from the population

Chapter 7 9

Random Sampling
Systematic random sampling A method of sampling in which every Kth member (K is a ration obtained by dividing the population size by the desired sample size) in the total population is chosen for inclusion in the sample after the first member of the sample is selected at random from among the first K members of the population.

Chapter 7 10

Systematic Random Sampling

Chapter 7 11

Stratified Random Sampling

Stratified random sample A method of sampling obtained by (1) dividing the population into subgroups based on one or more variables central to our analysis and (2) then drawing a simple random sample from each of the subgroups

Chapter 7 12

Stratified Random Sampling

Proportionate stratified sample The size of the sample selected from each subgroup is proportional to the size of that subgroup in the entire population. Disproportionate stratified sample The size of the sample selected from each subgroup is disproportional to the size of that subgroup in the population.
Chapter 7 13

Disproportionate Stratified Sample

Chapter 7 14

Sampling Distributions
Sampling error The discrepancy between a sample estimate of a population parameter and the real population parameter. Sampling distribution A theoretical distribution of all possible sample values for the statistic in which we are interested.

Chapter 7 15

Sampling Distributions
Sampling distribution of the mean A theoretical probability distribution of sample means that would be obtained by drawing from the population all possible samples of the same size.
If we repeatedly drew samples from a population and calculated the sample means, those sample means would be normally distributed (as the number of samples drawn increases.) The next several slides demonstrate this.

Standard error of the mean The standard deviation of the sampling distribution of the mean. It describes how much dispersion there is in the sampling distribution of the mean.
Chapter 7 16

Sampling Distributions

Chapter 7 17

Distribution of Sample Means with 21 Samples

10

8
6 4 2 0

S.D. = 2.02 Mean of means = 41.0 Number of Means = 21

Frequency

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

Sample Means
Chapter 7 18

Distribution of Sample Means with 96 Samples

14 12 10

S.D. = 1.80 Mean of Means = 41.12 Number of Means = 96

Frequency

8 6 4 2 0 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

Sample Means
Chapter 7 19

Distribution of Sample Means with 170 Samples

30

S.D. = 1.71 Mean of Means= 41.12 Number of Means= 170

20

Frequency

10

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

Sample Means
Chapter 7 20

The Central Limit Theorem

If all possible random samples of size N are drawn from a population with mean y and a standard deviation y , then as N becomes larger, the sampling distribution of sample means becomes approximately normal, with mean y and standard deviation y / N .

Chapter 7 21