Introduction
A population refers to the entire group about which a researcher wants to draw generalizations, while a sample entails a particular group from which a researcher will collect data. It is always the case that the sample size is less than the total size of a population in a study. A parameter is a measurable quality of the population, while a statistic is a measurable quality of a sample.
The population depicts a complete set, while a sample represents a subset of a population. Reports are an accurate depiction of the population’s view, whereas reports have a confidence interval and a margin of error in a sample (Bhandari, 2020). The population has all members of a given group, whereas a sample is a subset that represents the entire population.
Examples of a Sample in a Population
In research, the population does not necessarily have to be people; it may be any data parameter that exhibits a typical trait, such as the total number of pet stores in a town. However, the representative sample entails the members of the population who were engaged in a survey.
For example, if one wants to know the height of Chinese residents, the researcher’s population is the sample. It is quite a large number, and it will be challenging to analyze the data for everyone involved. Thus, a researcher will have to draw a sample, gather specific observations on the height of a given number of people, for instance, 200 in China, and draw inferences based on that data.
Another example could be a local non-profit organization that wishes to describe all drivers in their town, although it only measures 100. These 100 drivers will form the sample for the research; hence, the sample comprises the data collected from these individuals during the study.
Conclusion
Despite the differences, it is evident that the population and sample are correlated with each other as the sample is drawn from the population. In addition, the primary aim of a sample is to generate statistical inferences about a given population that are accurate and reliable. The larger sample has a higher level of generalization accuracy. It presents the same features as a population because it is a scientifically drawn group.
References
Bhandari, P. (2020). Population vs sample: what’s the difference? Scribbr.