Name: _______________________ MGS 002

Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

TOPICS:

1. Population and Sample

2. Types of Data/Variables
3. Independent/ Dependent Variables

Learning Outcomes:

a. Differentiate and give examples of population and sample;

b. Demonstrate types of data used in research;
c. Compare and contrast dependent and independent variables;
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SUMMARY 1:

A population encompasses the complete set of subjects you intend to make inferences about.

A sample, on the other hand, is a particular subset from which you will gather data. The sample size is
invariably smaller than the overall size of the population.

In research, the concept of a population doesn't exclusively pertain to individuals; it can encompass a collection
of elements related to anything you wish to investigate, including items, occurrences, institutions, nations,
species, organisms, and more.
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Exercise 1. Directions. Specify the population, sample, and the variables being measured in each of the
following cases.

Example: (a) A furniture manufacturer purchases wood in bulk quantities. They select five individual pieces of
wood from every bulk purchase and assess the moisture content of each piece. If any piece registers a moisture
level exceeding 12%, the entire bulk purchase is returned.

Sample 5 pieces of wood from each lot

Population All pieces of wood from each lot
Variable(s) Moisture Level

Now, your turn!

(b) A researcher from a business school aims to investigate the factors that influence the longevity and
prosperity of restaurants. To do this, she chooses a sample of 150 restaurants listed in the telephone directory of
a major city and inquiries about their advertising expenditures over the past year.

Sample
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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

Population
Variable(s)

(c) When a shipment of apples arrives at the juice production facility, a selection of three buckets of apples is
made for a thorough inspection. Depending on the inspection outcome, the entire shipment is either approved
for acceptance or rejected.

Sample
Population
Variable(s)

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SUMMARY 2:

Sampling Methods
There are five primary approaches to sampling: Random, Systematic, Convenience, Cluster, and Stratified.

● Random sampling is similar to placing everyone's name into a hat and drawing out several names. Each
element in the population has an equal likelihood of being selected. While this is the preferred sampling
method, it can be challenging to execute because it necessitates obtaining a comprehensive list of all
elements within the population. Often, computer-generated lists are employed for random sampling, and
random numbers can be generated using tools like the TI82 calculator.

● Systematic sampling is a simpler alternative to random sampling. In systematic sampling, the list of
elements is systematically counted off, with every kth element being chosen. It's analogous to lining up
individuals and numbering them as "1,2,3,4; 1,2,3,4; etc." Once numbering is complete, all individuals
marked as "4" are included in the sample.

● Convenience sampling is effortless to implement but is generally considered the least reliable
technique. In convenience sampling, readily available data is used, essentially surveying the first people
encountered by the researcher.

● Cluster sampling entails dividing the population into groups, often based on geographical regions
known as clusters or blocks. These clusters are randomly selected, and all elements within the selected
clusters are included in the sample.

● Stratified sampling also involves dividing the population into groups, referred to as strata, but these
divisions are based on characteristics other than geography. For example, the population might be
stratified into male and female groups. A sample is then taken from each of these strata using random,
systematic, or convenience sampling methods.
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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

Exercise 2. In each of the scenarios below, determine the sampling technique employed.

Example: To estimate the average science achievement of fifth graders in public schools within a city, a sample
of 2,000 students was needed. Given that the typical fifth-grade enrollment in the city's elementary schools
consists of 100 students, 20 schools were randomly chosen. Within each of these selected schools, every fifth
grader was assessed.

Solution: Cluster Sampling is the chosen approach because it involves the identification of clusters, in this case,
schools, and the selection of all fifth graders within each of these clusters (i.e., schools) for sampling.

1. A researcher is focusing on maximum-security inmates. She categorizes these inmates based on the type of
crime they have committed, calculates the proportion of the total inmates within each crime category, and then
employs this proportion to decide how many inmates are randomly chosen from each respective group.

Solution:

2. A researcher is working with a group of 100 third-grade students from a local school district and plans to
choose a sample of 25 students from this pool. To do this, each student's name is listed, and they are assigned a
unique number from 1 to 100. Subsequently, all these numbers (1 to 100) are inscribed on separate pieces of
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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

paper and mixed together. Finally, the researcher randomly selects 25 slips of paper, and the numbers on these
slips determine the 25 participants.

Solution:

3. A sociologist carries out an opinion survey within a significant city, and as part of the research strategy,
intends to depict and contrast the viewpoints of four distinct ethnic groups: African Americans, Asian
Americans, European Americans, and Native Americans. To constitute a combined sample size of 300
individuals, the researcher handpicks 75 participants from each of these four predefined subgroups.

Solution:

4. A researcher is keen to investigate the political beliefs of individuals in a specific state. To gather a sample,
the researcher employs the following method: (a) a random selection of counties is made, (b) within these
chosen counties, districts are randomly chosen, (c) within each district, blocks are randomly selected, (d) within
the selected blocks, buildings are randomly chosen, and (e) all the residents residing in the selected buildings
constitute the sample.

Solution:

5. Instructors who teach research methods want to understand the study methods their students are using.
Instead of evaluating every student, the researchers opted to randomly pick 10 students from each of the
sections to form their sample.

Solution:

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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

SUMMARY 4

SAMPLE SIZE CALCULATION

Identifying the right sample size holds utmost significance in statistical analysis. If the sample size is
insufficient, it won't produce reliable outcomes and won't effectively mirror the characteristics of the population
under examination.

Slovin's formula is employed to compute the required sample size for achieving a specific confidence
interval during population sampling. This formula becomes particularly useful when you lack sufficient
information about a population's behavior or the distribution of behavior to determine the appropriate sample
size by other means.

How to calculate using Slovin’s formula: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbz_vkdRP-w

SAMPLE SIZE FORMULA FOR INFINITE AND FINITE POPULATION

The sample size formula assists us in determining the precise sample size by accounting for the disparity
between the population and the sample. To reiterate, sample size refers to the number of observations within a
specific sample population. As it's impractical to survey an entire population, we extract a representative subset
and carry out surveys or research. Typically, the sample size is denoted by either "n" or "N."

Continue reading here: https://byjus.com/sample-size-formula/

Questions (USE SLOVIN’S FORMULA):

1. Suppose that a company wants to conduct marketing supply research to know about consumer preferences.
The company estimates that a total of N = 10000 people are regular loyal customers of the company. How many
of these people should be interviewed to understand customer preferences? Take the margin of error to be 5%.

Solution:

2. Suppose that the population size in a study is N = 5000 and the margin of error is 3%.
How many units should be chosen in a randomly selected sample?

Solution:
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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

Questions (USE SAMPLE SIZE FORMULA FOR INFINITE AND FINITE POPULATION)

Infinite Population:

1. In a research project examining the primary factors contributing to childhood malnutrition in Africa, it was
determined that approximately 30% (or 0.3 as a population proportion) of children living in slums are affected
by malnutrition

Solution:

Infinite and Finite Population:

2. Determine the sample size required for both a finite and infinite population when the percentage of a
population of 4,300 individuals is 5%, with a confidence level of 99% and a confidence interval of 0.01.

Solution:

SUMMARY 3:

Data can be categorized into two main types: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative data describe attributes or
characteristics of a population and are often represented using words or letters. Examples include hair color,
blood type, and car make. Quantitative data, on the other hand, are always numerical and result from counting
or measuring population attributes. Examples include money amounts, pulse rates, and population sizes.

Quantitative data can further be classified as discrete or continuous. Discrete data consists of specific, countable
values, such as whole numbers. For instance, counting the number of phone calls received each day of the week
yields discrete data like zero, one, two, etc. Continuous data encompasses values that are not limited to whole
numbers and can include fractions, decimals, or irrational numbers. It arises from measurements like lengths or
weights, such as the duration of phone calls in minutes, with values like 2.4 or 7.5, falling under quantitative
continuous data. Researchers often prefer quantitative data because it allows for mathematical analysis, whereas
qualitative data are descriptive and don't lend themselves well to such analysis.
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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

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Exercise 3. Name data sets that are quantitative discrete, quantitative continuous, and qualitative.

Example: The information pertains to the number of books students have in their backpacks. A sample of five
students was taken, and the data collected shows that two students carry three books, one student carries four
books, another carries two books, and the remaining student carries just one book.

Solution: These quantities, specifically three, four, two, and one, represent quantitative discrete data.

Now, your turn!

Situation: During your trip to the supermarket, you buy three cans of soup, including one can of tomato bisque
(19 ounces), one can of lentil soup (14.1 ounces), and one can of Italian wedding soup (19 ounces).
Additionally, you purchase two packages of nuts, opting for walnuts and peanuts. You also select four types of
vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and carrots. Lastly, you grab two desserts, namely, a pint of pistachio
ice cream (16 ounces) and a 32-ounce pack of chocolate chip cookies.

Quantitative Discrete Data:

Quantitative Continuous Data:

Qualitative/Categorical Data:

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Exercise 2. Decide on the appropriate data category, whether it falls under quantitative or qualitative.
Additionally, specify whether quantitative data is continuous or discrete. As a helpful hint, keep in mind that
data that are considered discrete often involve phrases like "the number of."

a. The quantity of shoe pairs in your possession.

b. The make or model of your car.
c. The distance between your home and the closest grocery store.
d. The count of classes you enroll in during a school year.
e. The brand or model of calculator you utilize.
f. The body masses of sumo wrestlers.
g. The count of accurate responses on a quiz.
h. IQ measurements (Note: This might provoke some debate.)

Answers:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

g.
h.

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SUMMARY 4:

Variables are given a special name that only applies to experimental investigations. One is called the dependent
variable, and the other is the independent variable.

The independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates or changes and is assumed to directly
affect the dependent variable. The dependent variable is the variable being tested and measured in an
experiment and is “dependent” on the independent variable. Operational variables (or operationalizing
definitions) refer to how you will define and measure a specific variable as it is used in your study. This enables
another psychologist to replicate your research and is essential in establishing reliability (achieving consistency
in the results).

Example (Operational Variables):

If we are concerned with the effect of media violence on aggression, then we need to be very clear about what
we mean by the different terms. In this case, we must state what we mean by the terms “media violence” and
“aggression” as we will study them.
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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

Therefore, you could state that “media violence” is operationally defined (in your experiment) as ‘exposure to a
15-minute film showing scenes of physical assault’; “aggression” is operationally defined as ‘levels of electrical
shocks administered to a second ‘participant’ in another room.

Exercise 4.1: Identify the Independent Variable and Dependent Variable for the following hypotheses:

Example: Lack of sleep significantly affects learning in 10-year-old boys.

Independent Variable Sleeping hours

Dependent Variable Learning in 10-year-old boys.

1. Social class has a significant effect on IQ scores.

Independent Variable
Dependent Variable

2. Stressful experiences significantly increase the likelihood of headaches.

Independent Variable
Dependent Variable

3. Time of day has a significant effect on alertness.

Independent Variable
Dependent Variable

Exercise 4.2: Identify the Independent Variable and Dependent Variable, and operationalize both of them for
the following hypotheses:

Example: Women are more attracted to men without earrings than men with earrings.
Independent Variable Men with or without earrings
Dependent Variable Women’s attraction to men
Operational Definition An earring is a piece of jewelry attached to the ear via a piercing in the earlobe
(Independent Variable) or another external part of the ear. Men's earrings are usually simple and
masculine. Examples are stud earrings or a simple hoop.
Operational Definition The action or power of evoking interest, pleasure, or liking for someone or
(Dependent Variable) something.

1. People learn more when they study in a quiet versus noisy place.

Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Operational Definition
(Independent Variable)
Operational Definition
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Advanced Research and Statistical Methods MGM 1-TRI-C Activity 2

(Dependent Variable)

2. People who exercise regularly sleep better at night.

Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Operational Definition
(Independent Variable)
Operational Definition
(Dependent Variable)