Name | Sampling Method | Example |
---|---|---|
Random | Survey a population at random. | Survey people whose names are drawn out of a hat. |
Systematic | Select a number n at random. Then survey every nth person. | Select the number 5 at random. Survey every fifth person. |
Stratified | Separate a population into smaller groups, each with a certain characteristic. Then survey at random within each group. | Separate a high school into four groups by grade level. Survey a random sample of students from each grade. |
DVD Rentals You want to find out how many DVDs students at your school rent in a month. You interview every tenth teenager you see at a mall. What sampling method are you using? Is this a good sample?
Since you are interviewing every tenth teenager, this method is systematic. This is not a good sample because it will likely include teenagers who do not attend your school.
What population are you trying to represent with this sample?
You want to collect information about the students at your school.
A survey question has bias when it contains assumptions that may or may not be true. Bias can influence opinion and can make one answer seem better than another. Survey questions must be carefully worded to avoid bias.
Movies A reporter wants to find out what kinds of movies are most popular with local residents. The reporter asks, “Do you prefer exciting action movies or boring documentaries?” Is the question biased? Explain.
Know | Need | Plan |
---|---|---|
The survey question | To determine whether the question is biased | Check the question for adjectives or phrases that make one category seem more appealing. |
The question is biased because the words exciting and boring make action films sound more interesting than documentaries.