What is a representative sampling?
A representative sampling is a type of statistical sampling in which the researcher attempts to select individuals who are representative for a larger population. In statistical sampling, people collect data from a small group and try to extrapolate the results to generalize a larger group. It is very difficult to achieve a representative sampling of samples and scientists can devote a lot of time and financing to get the most representative sample.
As a research tool, statistical sampling is extremely valuable. It allows people to study a population without studying each individual in this population. Average individuals are well acquainted with statistical sampling, although they may not be aware of it; The next time you open the newspaper, check out an article that speaks of the outcome of the study. A series like "67% of American pet owners sleep with their pets" is the result of a representative sample of Americans who own pets. Incidental, this number is vaginalZi from Sealy® mattress.
In order to obtain a representative sample, scientists must first identify sample populations. In the above example, scientists wanted to collect data about how many Americans slept with their animals, so the population was the American owners of pets. The next step for scientists is to find a way to randomly choose people from this population so that these individuals can explore the data.
If scientists collect too strongly from one segment of the population, such as all American owners of pets who go to the veterinary clinics in Chicago, the result of a representative sample of the studied population is not the result. Therefore, scientists must think about the amount of data collection methods to ensure that even samples of all studied aspects of the population.
When you read a study that is to be carried by the use of representative sampling is good to seeStit which methods scientists used. The sampling error can bring incorrect results, so you want to know how the data was collected, from which it was collected and what controls were introduced to ensure that the sampling is representative. By using critical thinking to look at statistics and representative sampling, you will be able to determine whether they are truly useful and usable.
Some traces that the studies may not be valid, include the use of self -knowledge surveys that have a high level of non -response to distort the sample, and indicate that the sample has been taken from a smaller sub -community of a larger group. If you read a study that says " x % of Europeans for breakfast" and the text of the study says that the sample has been obtained from people at train stations during morning commuting, it is not a representative sampling.