CHAPTER 4
Sampling
An essential feature of a sample is that it is representative of the population from which it is drawn. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict that this will be so, or even check that it is so when the sample has been obtained. A judgment has to be made as to the adequacy of the sampling procedure in relation to the individual circumstances. This has given rise to many different methods of sampling to cover a wide range of situations.
Problems with Sampling
When the data obtained represents the entire population, the question of how relevant the sample is does not arise: the sample is the population. Thus the monthly profits of a company over a twelve-month period represent the complete ...
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