VERIFIED ACCURATE ANSWERS AND
RATIONALES
The process of collecting data from a sample, or subset, of the population in order to determine
information about the whole population.
Should include the target population, sample selection method, sample size, margin of error, date of the
survey and the exact question. - answer ✔✔-Polls and Surveys
To obtain a REPRESENTATIVE Sample (a sample that reflects the characteristics in the population). -
answer ✔✔-Goal of polls and surveys
Involves each unit being chosen entirely by chance and hence avoids subjective and other biases and
allows for the calculation of likely size of sampling errors. The larger the sample, the more effective the
randomisation is in producing a representative sample. - answer ✔✔-Random Sampling
Form of random sampling where every unit has an equal chance of being chosen. - answer ✔✔-Simple
random sampling
Stratified sampling, cluster sampling and systematic sampling. - answer ✔✔-Other types of random
sampling
- Errors as a result of taking a sample - unavoidable
- Have the potential to be bigger in smaller samples than in larger ones
- Possible to determine how large they can be - answer ✔✔-Sampling Errors
- Can be much larger than ... errors - always present
- Can be virtually impossible to correct for after the completion of the survey.
- Virtually impossible to determine how badly they will affect the result.