Sampling & Sampling Distribution: by Asif Hanif
Sampling & Sampling Distribution: by Asif Hanif
by
Asif Hanif
Statistical Inference
• The purpose of statistical inference is to obtain
information about a population from information
contained in a sample.
• A population is the set of all the elements of
interest.
• A sample is a subset of the population.
• The sample results provide only estimates of
the values of the population characteristics.
• A parameter is a numerical characteristic of a
population.
• With proper sampling methods, the sample
results will provide “good” estimates of the
population characteristics.
Advantages of Sampling
• Sampling saves money, time and energy; as
it is much cheaper to collect the desired
information from a small sample than from
the whole population.
• Sampling is essential to obtaining the data
when the measurement process physically
damages or destroys the sampling unit
under investigation.
Advantages of Sampling
• Sampling may be the only means available
for obtaining the needed information when
the population appear to be infinite or is
inaccessible such as the population of
mountains or thickly forested areas.
• Sampling has much smaller “non-
response”, following up of which is much
easier.
Representative Sample
Typically volunteers
Quota Sampling
• Divide the population into various categories