LAB 1.

Statistics 200: Lab Activity for Section 1.2 

Sampling from a population - Learning objectives:

 Identify samples and populations in context.

 Identify when a sample is likely to be biased, and when a sample is random.
 Appreciate the importance and implications of a (simple) random sample.

Activity 1: Estimate the average length of words in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

The entire text of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is given below (you don’t have to read it all – skip to the
bold text below!). There are 268 words in this address

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in
Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great
civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We
are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final
resting place for those who here gave their lives that. that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and
proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we
can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it,
far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say
here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the
unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be
here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased
devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth
of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from
the earth.”

Your task is to select of sample of 10 words to estimate the average length of words in this speech.

First, we want you to approach randomness based on intuition. Do your best with your own power to
pick words that appear to be representative of the population. Circle the ten words you choose.

1. What are the lengths (number of letters) for each of the 10 words you selected?

_5__ _10__ __6__ _6__ __6__ __4_ __6__ __9__ __4__ __3__

2. Calculate the average number of letters for the 10 words in your sample. To do this, add up all
the numbers above, then divide the total by 10 words.
Average = 5.9

3. Go to the board and draw a dot above number line 1 to represent your average. If there is
already a dot there, draw your dot above it.

4. In this example, what is the population? Do you think your sample of words is a (simple)
random sample or biased?
Population: all words. Biased because I chose the words.

1/27/21 © - Pennsylvania State University

 LAB 1.2

Each word in the population is given a number from 1 to 268.

We will use technology to take a simple random sample. Go to www.random.org

Change the True Random Number Generator to a max of 268. Generate ten numbers.
Circle both the number and corresponding word that was randomly selected by technology.
1 Four 35in 69dedicate 103But, 137add 171 here 205 these 239 that
2 score 36a 70a 104in 138or 172 to 206 honored 240 this
3 and 37great 71portion 105a 139detract. 173 the 207 dead 241 nation,
4 seven 38civil 72of 106larger 140The 174 unfinished 208 we 242 under
5 years 39war, 73that 107sense, 141world 175 work 209 take 243 God,
6 ago, 40testing 74field 108we 142will 176 which 210 increased 244 shall
7 our 41whether 75as 109cannot 143little 177 they 211 devotion 245 have
8 fathers 42that 76a 110dedicate, 144note, 178 who 212 to 246 a
9 brought 43nation, 77final 111we 145nor 179 fought 213 that 247 new
10 forth 44or 78resting 112cannot 146long 180 here 214 cause 248 birth
11 upon 45any 79place 113consecrate, 147remember, 181 have 215 for 249 of
12 this 46nation 80for 114we 148what 182 thus 216 which 250 freedom,
13 continent 47so 81those 115cannot 149we 183 far 217 they 251 and
14 a 48conceived 82who 116hallow 150say 184 so 218 gave 252 that
15 new 49and 83here 117this 151here, 185 nobly 219 the 253 government
16 nation: 50so 84gave 118ground. 152but 186 advanced. 220 last 254 of
17 conceived 51dedicated, 85their 119The 153it 187 It 221 full 255 the
18 in 52can 86lives 120brave 154can 188 is 222 measure 256 people,
19 liberty, 53long 87that 121men, 155never 189 rather 223 of 257 by
20 and 54endure. 88that 122living 156forget 190 for 224 devotion, 258 the
21 dedicated 55We 89nation 123and 157what 191 us 225 that 259 people,
22 to 56are 90might 124dead, 158they 192 to 226 we 260 for
23 the 57met 91live. 125who 159did 193 be 227 here 261 the
24 proposition 58on 92It 126struggled 160here. 194 here 228 highly 262 people,
25 that 59a 93is 127here 161It 195 dedicated 229 resolve 263 shall
26 all 60great 94altogether 128have 162is 196 to 230 that 264 not
27 men 61battlefield 95fitting 129consecrated 163for 197 the 231 these 265 perish
28 are 62of 96and 130it, 164us 198 great 232 dead 266 from
29 created 63that 97proper 131far 165the 199 task 233 shall 267 the
30 equal. 64war. 98that 132above 166living, 200 remaining 234 not 268 earth.
31 Now 65We 99we 133our 167rather, 201 before 235 have
32 we 66have 100should 134poor 168to 202 us, 236 died
33 are 67come 101do 135power 169be 203 that 237 in
34 engaged 68to 102this. 136to 170dedicated 204 from 238 vain,

5. What are the lengths (number of letters) for each of the 10 words you selected?

__5__ __3__ __4__ __6__ __2__ __4__ __2__ __5__ __4__ __2__

1/27/21 © - Pennsylvania State University

 LAB 1.2

6. Calculate the average number of letters for the 10 words in your technology-generated random
sample.
Average = 3.7
7. Go to the board and draw a dot above number line 2 to represent your average from the
random sample. If there is already a dot there, draw your dot above it.

8. Compare your two averages. Is the average based on your intuition sample” smaller”, “larger”,
or “about the same,” when compared to average based on the technology sample?
Larger by 2.2 words.
9. Compare the results found on number line 1 with number line 2. How are they similar? How do
they differ. On which number line would you expect to find the estimates being collectively
closer to the true average for the population?
On the line where we compare the answers to the one with the random.org is the one that
should be collectively closer to the true average for the population.

Activity 2: Samples and populations

1. Princeton Survey Research reports on a survey of 1,917 cell phone users in the US, conducted in
May 2010, asking “On an average day, about how many phone calls do you make and receive on
your cell phone?”
a. What is the sample in this study?
People surveyed who use cell phones
b. What is the population?

1/27/21 © - Pennsylvania State University

 LAB 1.2

People who use cell phones

2. Over 30,000 people participated in an online poll on cnn.com conducted in April 2012 asking
“Have you ever driven with a pet on your lap?” We see that 34% of the participants answered
“yes” and 66% answered “no.”
a. What is the sample?
People who participated on online poll
b. Can we conclude that 34% of all drivers have driven with a pet on their lap?
No
c. Why or why not?
Because there are volunteers who choose to participate in the poll
3. Classify the following data as a sample or a population. If it is a sample, is it a random sample.
a. Your TA collects the ages of all the LAs on the teaching team to find the average age of
the LAs on the teaching team.
Population

b. Your LA collects the ages of the first fifteen students who walk in the lab classroom to
find the average age of students in your lab.
Sample, random sample
c. You want to estimate the proportion of all Penn State students who have season
football tickets by asking a sample of twenty students who are camping out in
Nittanyville the night before the annual white-out game.
Sample, not random sample
d. Activity 3: (Simple) Random Sample and/or Possible Sources of Bias

For each of the situations below, discuss the sampling strategy with your lab partner(s), including
whether you think it is a “simple random sample” or whether there are “possible sources of bias.” If you
think there are “possible sources of bias,” determine what they are.

Fill in the table at the bottom of the page for each part.

1. A company has 200 employees and would like to select a sample of 40 of them for a study. The
employees are numbered from 1 to 200 in random order. After sorted by numerical order, the
first 40 names on the list are selected for the study.

2. An organization promoting affordable daycare conducts a survey. They randomly select 1,000
mothers who chose to stay home with their children during the first year. Researchers visited
these mothers and helped them calculating how much income, retirements, and wage growth
each woman forfeit by staying home. After the calculation was complete, the women were
asked whether they regretted staying home for an entire year.

3. An egg farmer wants to determine the average omega-3 level (mg) in chicken eggs from his
farm, as measured last Tuesday. On that day he collected 100 eggs by randomly choosing ten
chicken coops and collecting the first ten eggs laid in each one. He then measured the omega-3
in mg from each egg.

1/27/21 © - Pennsylvania State University

 LAB 1.2

4. The White House plans to conduct a survey on the attitudes of ‘typical Americans’. They send
an email to everyone on the ‘1600 Daily’ listserv (a mailing list you can subscribe to get daily
updates from whoever is in the White House). This email contains a link to the survey.

5. A local church wants to get its members’ opinions on a new minister that is applying for a job.
All of the church members listen to the applicant’s sermon. Afterward, they all put their names
in a big bowl and the hiring committee randomly chooses 15 names to interview.

Part simple random possible sources of bias If possible sources of bias exist,
sample exist (yes or no) identify what they are
(yes or no)
1 yes no

2 yes yes The wording of the question

3 yes no

4 no yes Sent to those subscribed to mailing list

and people can choose to answer mail
or not (nonresponse) volunteer bias
5 yes No/ yes
Context bias?

1/27/21 © - Pennsylvania State University