Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sample grabbed at random: A subset of items or individuals chosen from a larger population without any specific pattern or method, implying a lack of systematic selection.
   • A sample in which every element in the population has an equal chance of being selected: A statistically rigorous subset where each member of the entire population has the same probability of being included, ensuring the sample is representative and unbiased.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The researcher took a random sample of 100 voters to predict the election outcome.
  • For the survey to be valid, we must ensure it is based on a true random sample of the city's residents.

Advanced Usage

• "To draw a random sample": The process of selecting such a sample.
  • The polling company will draw a random sample from the national registry.
• "Simple random sample": A specific type where selections are made purely by chance, often using random number generators.
  • The study's methodology required a simple random sample of households.

Variants and Related Words

• Sampling (n): The general process of taking a sample.
• Randomization (n): The technique of making something random, often used in the process of creating a random sample.
• Population (n): The entire group from which a sample is drawn.

Synonyms

• Probability sample: A sample selected by a method based on the theory of probability, which includes random sampling.
• Chance selection: Emphasizes the role of luck or chance in the selection process.

Related Phrases

• Random sampling: The methodological process of obtaining a random sample.
  • Random sampling is a cornerstone of statistical inference.
• Sample at random: The act of selecting a sample in this way.
  • Please sample at random from the entire batch.

Noun

1. a sample grabbed at random
2. a sample in which every element in the population has an equal chance of being selected