Samples and populations · Uncertainty
Sampling Variability
Why does an estimate change when the population stays fixed?
Page 1 of 7 · Big Picture
The big picture: Sampling Variability
Why does an estimate change when the population stays fixed?
Why a policy analyst should care
Different random samples give different estimates even when nothing in the population changes, which is the foundation for understanding statistical uncertainty.
Follow the idea from the opening question to a practical decision. These are the conceptual moves this module will develop:
1 Question One population, many possible samples
2 Explore Draw repeated samples
3 Formalize Data spread versus estimate spread
4 Transfer Explain two different estimates
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