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ERRORS IN SAMPLING. Lesson #10 OCTOBER 5/6, 2011. Errors in Sampling. Sampling Errors Random sampling error – expressed as the margin of error. Errors in Sampling. Sampling Errors Bad sampling methods – voluntary response samples, convenience samples. Errors in Sampling.
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ERRORS IN SAMPLING Lesson #10 OCTOBER 5/6, 2011
Errors in Sampling • Sampling Errors • Random sampling error – expressed as the margin of error.
Errors in Sampling • Sampling Errors • Bad sampling methods – voluntary response samples, convenience samples.
Errors in Sampling • Sampling Errors • Under coverage – happens when some groups in the population are not included in the sampling frame. (A sampling frame is a list of individuals from which a sample is drawn.) • What happens if under coverage occurs???
Errors in Sampling • Non-Sampling Errors • Processing errors – mechanical errors, arithmetic errors, data entry errors
Errors in Sampling • Non-Sampling Errors • Response errors – person lies about answer, remembers details incorrectly, doesn’t understand question
Errors in Sampling • Non-Sampling Errors • Non-response errors – failure to obtain data from individual (refuses to cooperate or cannot be contacted) • This is becoming the biggest error category, which produces the most bias… (people don’t want to answer questions over the telephone; caller ID and answering machines prevent contact; and the elderly are often reluctant to participate)
Errors in Sampling • Non-sampling errors • The wording of questions – if the question asks if the subject “favors” some policy as a means to an end, it is a loaded question that draws positive responses from subjects who are worried.
Errors in Sampling • Example: “Do you favor imposing a closed campus for Irvington students if it means increased safety for your children?” • Example: “Do you favor leaving Irvington campus open for students during lunch time so that nearby businesses would not need to close due to lack of customers?”
Other Types of Samples • Stratified Random Sample • Divide the sampling frame into distinct groups (strata). • Take SRS’s of each strata. • Example: Using the school’s population, the sampling frame can be divided into freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and staff (5 strata).
Other Types of Samples • Cluster Sample • Can be used when the population falls into naturally occurring subgroups (like zip codes). • To select a cluster sample, divide the population into groups (clusters) and select all the members in one or more (but not all) the clusters. • Other examples: different periods of the same course, different branches of a bank, etc.
Other Types of Samples • Systematic Sample • Each member of the population is assigned a number. The starting number is randomly selected, and then the sample members are selected at random intervals from the starting member. • Example: randomly chose the 15th person, then the interval was every 4th person after that, so the 15th, 19th, 23rd, 27th, and so on, were chosen for the survey. • Be careful using this in case there are regularly occurring patterns already in the population (every 4th person has a common quality).
Questions to ask before you believe a poll • Who carried out the survey? • What was the population? • How was the sample selected? • How large was the sample?
Questions to ask before you believe a poll • What was the response rate? • How were the subjects contacted? • When was the survey conducted? • What were the exact questions?
So… • Government statistical offices answer these questions when they announce results; national opinion polls don’t always release the response rate (usually low). Newscasters usually leave out a lot of this information (boring); interest groups/newspapers don’t give this info because their methods are usually unreliable. • If someone doesn’t give all the information stated above, be skeptical!!!
The most annoying word that is used in a conversation, according to a survey… Whatever!
(from www.upi.com) • NEW YORK, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Nearly half of Americans surveyed for a new poll said "whatever" was the most annoying word that could be used in a conversation. • The Marist Poll received votes for "You know" and "anyway," but they weren't even close to the 47 percent that pegged "whatever" as something that had definitely run its course. • The breakdown found "whatever" to be particularly tiresome among respondents in the Midwest, Latinos and people under 45 years old. • Phrases that bug Americans include "it is what it is" and "at the end of the day." • The poll, based on 938 responses, had a margin of error of 3.5 percent.
Homework… • Page 110…114, #2.58-2.60, 2.62-2.66 • Bring a Gallup Poll for Friday’s group activity • Friday’s homework… Page 119…122, #2.68-2.71, 2.74