Population

and sampling. David Martínez Téllez

David Escamilla Escamilla
Alexis Tavera Mociños
 • A statistical population is the set of subjects that
meet certain characteristics that we want to
study. Simplifying, as its name suggests, imagine
a population as the set of inhabitants of a
country.
• When the population under study is very large, it
is usually difficult to obtain the necessary
information to be able to analyze all the

Population. subjects.
• In cases where we cannot obtain information
from the entire population, either due to lack of
technical means or because resources are
limited, a sample must be used.
 • A statistical sample is a selection of subjects
from a population to extract the information
necessary for the study.
• If we want to know which is the favorite soccer
player of the inhabitants of Mexico City, a sample
can be a random selection of 1,000 individuals.
• The selection of the statistical sample is very

Sample. important since it is the one that will provide us

with the information about the population..
• The sample must be large enough to represent
the population and also the subjects from whom
the information is obtained must be randomly
selected.
 • The difference between sample and
population lies in the fact that the

Difference.
population is the set of subjects that meet a
characteristic that wishes to be studied.
Instead, the sample is a part of that
population that is selected to obtain the
information with which it is going to work.
Sample Types
 probability sample
Simple random sampling: it is the most basic selection method, in which each subject has an
identification number and, through a random draw, some are selected for the sample. To carry it out,
the number of individuals that will be necessary to complete the entire sample must be known.
Systematic sampling: with this method the population to work is enumerated and the researchers
are in charge of listing each individual in groups of 10, randomly. Then one of the first of each group
is chosen at random, thus forming the sample.
Stratified sampling: consists of dividing the population into strata or groups that share similar
characteristics. Some individuals from each group are then proportionally selected to make up the
sample.
Cluster sampling: occurs when the population is already naturally divided into groups, so individuals
are randomly selected from each cluster to make up the sample
 Non-probabilistic sample
Quota sampling: in this type of sampling, the researchers form the sample based on certain
characteristics, in order to achieve the same distribution of characteristics in the sample as in the
population. For example, if there are 90% men and 10% women in a population, the individuals in the
sample must be distributed in the same way.
Sampling for convenience: in this type the researcher usually chooses the individuals in his sample
only because of their proximity. Generally, the researcher does not recognize this sample as a
representation of an entire population, but rather performs it to find out opinions, data and
information quickly.
Snowball sampling: it is used when the researcher requires that a subject of his sample help identify
another with the same characteristics and, in turn, these help others, to form the desired sample.
Discretionary sample: also known as sampling by judgment or criterion, it occurs when the researcher
selects the individuals of his sample based on certain knowledge of the population. For example, if you
want to start an investigation of people with psychological problems in pregnancy, she will select those
women who have gone through the experience of pregnancy.