Chapter 1

Question 1

sample statistic

Answer 1

A particular characteristic of our sample

Question 2

sampling space

Answer 2

The range of all the possible outcomes for our sample statistic in the sample

Question 3

In the sampling distribution, what are the units of analysis?

Answer 3

Samples

Question 4

What’s the difference between a discrete and continuous sample statistic?

Answer 4

A discrete sample statistic has a limited number of outcomes, while a continuous sample statistic has virtually unlimited outcomes within a certain interval

With a discrete sample statistic, we look at the individual sampling space values. With a continuous sample statistic, we look at ranges.

Question 5

sampling distribution

Answer 5

a distribution / graph of outcomes when we would draw a lot of samples

Question 6

probability distribution

Answer 6

a distribution of the probabilities of all the possible values for a random variable

Question 7

random variable

Answer 7

a variable whose possible values are outcomes of a random phenomenon

also: sample statistic

Question 8

What are the 2 uses of the sampling distribution?

Answer 8

1. Finding out the probability of drawing a sample with a particular value of the sample statistic
2. Finding threshold values. e.g. the top 10% of the distribution or bottom 5%

Question 9

expected value

Answer 9

also: expectation

The average value of a random variable over a large number of samples. It is thus equal to the mean of the sampling distribution (and population mean)

Question 10

unbiased estimator

Answer 10

an accurate statistic that’s used to approximate a population parameter. It shouldn’t overestimate or underestimate the population parameter. The mean of a sampling distribution is an example.

Question 11

probability density

Answer 11

this function is used to specify the probability of the random variable for a value in a specific range