ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on how sampling should be used in polls. The first step is to select a sample from the population. The people in the sample complete a questionnaire, and so the sample data are collected. The data are analyzed, and conclusions are drawn. Finally, the conclusions are generalized from the sample to the population. The generalization from the sample to the population is a critical step in this process. The question is whether poll results can always be translated from the sample to the population. The sample must have been drawn by means of probability sampling. The chapter describes three forms of sampling. The most frequency used one is the simple random sample. Systematic sampling is an easier to implement approximation of simple random sampling. Two-stage sampling is applied if a list of addresses is available, but individuals must be selected. The chapter explains what the relationship is between a random sample and a representative sample.
