What term describes a part of a population selected for study?

What term describes a part of a population selected for study?

• A. Sample
• B. Population
• C. Census
• D. Parameter

Answer: (A)

A sample is a subset of individuals drawn from the larger group you’re interested in studying. This subset is studied to make inferences about the whole population without surveying everyone. The whole group is the population, and a census would involve collecting data from every member of that group. A parameter is a numerical feature that describes the population itself, not just the subset. In practice, you collect data from the sample and use it to estimate the population parameter, keeping in mind that results depend on how representative the sample is. This approach is common in social work research because it’s often impractical to study every client.

A sample is a subset of individuals drawn from the larger group you’re interested in studying. This subset is studied to make inferences about the whole population without surveying everyone. The whole group is the population, and a census would involve collecting data from every member of that group. A parameter is a numerical feature that describes the population itself, not just the subset. In practice, you collect data from the sample and use it to estimate the population parameter, keeping in mind that results depend on how representative the sample is. This approach is common in social work research because it’s often impractical to study every client.