SAMPLING THEORY 2) Infinite Population: A population is said to be infinite, if the

no. of units/items in a population is not countable during a

Population
certain time and manpower. For e.g.:
In any statistical investigation, we study the various
a) Counting of total no. of trees or plants into a forest by a
characteristics of the items or individuals of the particular group. So, the
single person in a month.
whole group or aggregative or totality of statistical data forming a
subject of investigation is known as „population‟ or Universe‟. The b) Counting of total no. of fish in an ocean is impossible.
whole number of items or units in the universe is known as “size of So the total no. of trees in forest & no. of fishes in an
population.” It is denoted by N. For e.g.: ocean are the examples of infinite population.
(i) The population of students in “Janaki College of Management” Sample and Sampling
(ii) The population of books in the “Central library”.
The literal meaning of sample is small representative part or
(iii)The population of “commercial banks” in Nepal. etc.
quality or specimen. So, some & representative units selected from the
Conclusion population is known as „Sample’.
Statisticians use the word population‟ to refer not only to people In most cases of statistical enquiry, because of limitation of time
but to all items that have been chosen for study. and cost, only a portion or a sample of the available source of
Types of Population information (population) is examined. This process of portial
enumeration is known as Sample Survey. The no. of items in the
1) Finite Population: A population is said to finite if the numbers
sample is known as the Sample Size. It is denoted by n.
of total units/items in a population is finite or countable under a
certain time and manpower. For E.g.: Conclusion
a) Total no. of statisticians in Nepal. Statisticians use the word Sample to describe a part or portion
b) Total no. of students in P.U. chosen from the population. And the process of selecting sample from a
c) Total no. of industries in Nepal. population under study is called Sampling.
d) Total no. of teaching staff in „JCM‟ etc. is the examples of
finite population.
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Census and Sample Survey/Method  If the field under study is vast, this method is so expensive.

Census and sampling are both the methods of studying the  If population size is infinite, sample survey is only alternative.
objects in the population. Some time it is possible and practical to  This method can be used if each unit is destroyed at the time of
examine every unit or items or persons in the population. So the testing. For e.g. if we test the chalk by writing in the board to see
complete enumeration (examine) of all the units of population is called how long a chalk will last or if we light each and every candle to
Census. It is the study of 100 percent of each units. For eg:- when have see how long it will last, the entire lot will be destroyed.
to study or investigate the smoking habits of 10000 adults in a city, then
we collect the information‟s relating the smoking habits of each and Sample Survey Method:
every one of them. This is the way of collecting the information by In this method, a small portion of the units selected properly and
Census method. Some of other Census surveys are: studied which is the representative part (units) of the whole population.
a) Population Census Survey. For e.g. to finding the average score of BBA students in statistics
b) Agricultural Census Survey. subject, there are 10000 students throughout the country in this
c) Industrial Census Survey. category. Instead of spending much money & time in conducting a
census, a few no. of sample size i.e. 5% or 10% or 500 students or 100
Merits/Advantages of Census Method
students can be selecting for sampling procedure.
 Complete information about the population is obtained.
Sampling technique is used in our daily life too. For e.g.:
 The result obtained is more accurate and reliable as each and
a) A housewife examines only two or three grains of rice to know
every items of population is included.
whether the pot of rice kept for cooking is ready or not.
 This method is quite useful when the field of inquiry is not big b) A doctor examines a few drops of blood and draws conclusion
and vast. about the blood constitution of the whole body.
Demerits/Disadvantages of Census Method c) When a consumer goes to a rice shop, he just inspects a handful
 If the size of universe of very large, this method needs more of rice and makes up his mind about the quality of whole lot.
time and manpower.

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 Thus the process of sampling, gives us an idea of the whole called “Statistics”. In other words, the measures which are based on
population on the basis of a small part taken out of it. value observations of a sample are called “Statistics”.

Simpson and Kafka used a term “MICROCOSM” for sample, whose Let x1, x2, x3 ………………….. xn be the value of observations of a
literal meaning is “Small Universe”. sample size „n‟, then –

Merits/Advantage of Sample Survey Method 𝐗 𝟏 + 𝐗 𝟐 + 𝐗 𝟑 + … … … … … . +𝐗 𝐧

𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐗 =
𝐧
 This method saves a lot of time, cost and effort. ∑𝐗
=
 This method is suitable for the study of infinite population like 𝐧
fish in ocean. 𝟐
∑(𝐗 − 𝐗)𝟐
𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐒 =
 In case of destructive units, sampling is only the effective 𝐧
methods. Where, sample mean (X) and sample variance (s2) are
 By this method, the result obtained from census method can be „Statistics‟.
study easily. But, when these measurements are describes the characteristics
Demerits/Disadvantages of Sample Survey Method of a population, they are called „parameters‟. In other words, the
measures which are based on the values of observations of whole
 The result may be misleading if the sample is not representative.
population are called „Parameters‟.
 The accuracy might get lost due the study of only a part of the
x1, x2, x3 ………………….. xn be the value of observations of a
population.
population size „N‟, then –
 If the sample size is too large and the technique used is 𝐗 𝟏 + 𝐗 𝟐 + 𝐗 𝟑 + … … … … … . +𝐗 𝐧
complicated, so more time, money manpower may needed. 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧(𝛍) =
𝐍
∑𝐗
Statistics and Parameters =
𝐍
Samples and populations can be described by using measures ∑(𝐗 − 𝐗)
𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞(𝛔𝟐 ) =
such as the mean, median, mode and standard deviation. When these 𝐍
terms (measures) described the characteristics of a sample, they are
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 Where, population mean ( µ ) and population variance ( б2 ) are 4. For Accurate Measurements: A small, highly skilled and
‘parameters’. experienced group of manpower is likely to make fewer errors in
the collection of data.
Summary
“A Staitistics is a characteristics of a sample; a parameters is a Types of Sampling/Methods of Sampling
characteristics of a population. 1) Random Sampling (Probability Sampling)

Objectives of Sampling/Reasons for Sampling i) Simple random sampling

1. For Time and Money Saving: A sample is smaller than the ii) Stratified sampling
entire population or universe. So the collection and summarizing iii) Systematic sampling
of sample representative data is quicker. So the effort, time and
money can be saving by sampling inspite of investigation of iv) Cluster sampling
whole population. v) Multistage sampling
2. For Easy Information’s Collection: If the units of the universe 2) Non-random Sampling (Non-probability Sampling)
or population are infinitely large, complete information‟s study i) Judgment or purposive sampling
will be very complicated in practice to know the characteristics
of such universe. Then sampling study is only an alternative ii) Convenience sampling
option to collect the maximum accurate information‟s iii) Quota sampling
conclusion.
3. For Involvement of Destruction Items under Investigation: If
the characters are highly sensitive like chalk, glass and candle, it
can be destructed during study. As a result, total investigation is
rule out. In such situation only sampling can be used.