Social Sciences Inquiry
In Class Exercise
Sample Construction
Introduction: In this exercise, you will draw six samples of university employees (faculty and
staff), four samples of five employees and two samples of 20 employees. You will need a
random number table. Appendix C in your text provides such as table. You will also need a
page from the campus directory of the U of C employees.
Step #1: Use the random number table (Appendix C in your text) to choose a page from
the employee part of the University of Utah campus directory. To use the random number
table for this purpose, first notice that the numbers in the table are five digits, but you need
only three digits. Decide which three adjacent digits you will pay attention to (check one):
____ a. XXXXX
____ b. XXXXX
____ c. XXXXX
Also decide whether you will move up, down, left or right through the table (check one):
____ a. up
____ b. down
____ c. left
____ d. right
Then pick a random start by closing your eyes and dropping your pencil on the table.
Write the 5-digit number down here:
___________
Are the three digits you decided to pay attention to between 100 and 200? If yes, then
this is the page from the directory that you will use for the rest of the assignment. If not,
then choose the next number, and keep choosing until you reach a number between 100
and 200. Write it here:
___________
Step #2: Photocopy the page from the directory. Number the
listings of employees from 1 to the highest number on the page (will be about 100).
Step #3: Determine how many faculty members (professors, associate professors, assistant
professors, and research professors) are listed on your page:
a. _________ faculty
1
b. _________ total employees (faculty + staff)
c. _________ fraction of the employees listed that are the faculty members
Step #4: Following the same procedure in Step #1 (except that you will be looking for
two rather than three digit numbers), select four samples of five employees from
your page. Make sure to follow the numbers on the random number table- dont go in
consecutive order. For instance- if you happened to pick the first 2 digits, land in the
upper left corner, and went across right for your direction, then you will not list the 10th,
11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th employee, youd list the 10th, 15th, 1st, 2nd, and 81th. Note: if your
pencil lands in the upper left corner- try again- you cant use my answers! List their names
and whether or not each is a (any kind of) professor on the attached sheet. Do not choose the
same employee twice for the same sample. It is okay if the same employee shows up in more
than one sample. Calculate the fraction of each sample consisting of faculty. Please use
worksheets below.
Step #5: Following the same procedure as in Step #4, select two samples of 20
employees from your page. Calculate the fraction of each sample consisting of
professors. Please use the worksheets below.
Step #6: Let the fraction of professors reported in Step #3 be the population parameter. Let
the fractions of juniors reported for the samples in steps 4 and 5 be the statistics
estimating the population parameter. Which samples provide the best estimates, those
consisting of 5 employees, or those consisting of 20? Illustrate your answer with
results from Steps #4 and Steps #5.
Step #7: Do you think that this is the best way to draw a sample of the U of C employees?
Why or why not?
2
Worksheet for Step #4: Use the random number table (Appendix C in your text) to choose a starting point
for your samples. The number of elements should go from 01 to __ (the largest number of the numbered
employee list that you created in Step #2- this will differ for everyone). To use the random number table
for this purpose, first notice that the numbers in the table are five digits, but you need only two digits.
Decide which two adjacent digits you will pay attention to (check one):
____ a. XXXXX
____ b. XXXXX
____ c. XXXXX
____ d. XXXXX
Also decide whether you will move up, down, left or right through the table (check one):
____ a. up
____ b. down
____ c. left
____ d. right
Then pick a random start by closing your eyes and dropping your pencil on the table. Write the 5-digit
number down here:
___________
Are the two digits you decided to pay attention to between 01 and __ (the top number of your numbered
employee list- see step 2)? If yes, then this is the starting point for your sample. If not, then choose the
next number, and keep choosing until you reach a number between 01 and __. Write it here:
___________
Repeat the process for a random start 3 more times. Please list the 3 starting 5-digit numbers here:
__________ , __________ , __________
Four Samples of 5 Employees worksheet:
Sample #1 Sample #2
Faculty? Faculty?
1. _____________________ _____ 1. _____________________ _____
2. _____________________ _____ 2. _____________________ _____
3. _____________________ _____ 3. _____________________ _____
4. _____________________ _____ 4. _____________________ _____
5. _____________________ _____ 5. _____________________ _____
Fraction who are faculty members: ______ Fraction who are faculty members: ______
3
Sample #3 Sample #4
Faculty? Faculty?
1. _____________________ _____ 1. _______________________ ______
2. _____________________ _____ 2. _______________________ ______
3. _____________________ _____ 3. _______________________ ______
4. _____________________ _____ 4. _______________________ ______
5. _____________________ _____ 5. _______________________ ______
Fraction who are faculty members: ______ Fraction who are faculty members: ______
Worksheet for Step #5: Use the random number table (Appendix C in your text) to choose a starting point
for your samples. The number of elements should go from 01 to __ (the largest number of the numbered
employee list that you created in Step #2- this will differ for everyone). To use the random number table
for this purpose, first notice that the numbers in the table are five digits, but you need only two digits.
Decide which two adjacent digits you will pay attention to (check one):
____ a. XXXXX
____ b. XXXXX
____ c. XXXXX
____ d. XXXXX
Also decide whether you will move up, down, left or right through the table (check one):
____ a. up
____ b. down
____ c. left
____ d. right
Then pick a random start by closing your eyes and dropping your pencil on the table. Write the 5-digit
number down here:
___________
Are the two digits you decided to pay attention to between 01 and __ (the top number of your numbered
employee list- see step 2)? If yes, then this is the starting point for your sample. If not, then choose the
next number, and keep choosing until you reach a number between 01 and __. Write it here:
___________
Repeat the random start process 1 more time. Please list the other starting 5 digit number here:
__________
4
Two Samples of 20 Employees worksheet:
Sample #1 Sample #2
Faculty? Faculty?
1. _____________________ _____ 1. _____________________ _____
2. _____________________ _____ 2. _____________________ _____
3. _____________________ _____ 3. _____________________ _____
4. _____________________ _____ 4. _____________________ _____
5. _____________________ _____ 5. _____________________ _____
6. _____________________ _____ 6. _____________________ _____
7. _____________________ _____ 7. _____________________ _____
8. _____________________ _____ 8. _____________________ _____
9. _____________________ _____ 9. _____________________ _____
10. _____________________ _____ 10. ____________________ _____
11. _____________________ _____ 11. ____________________ _____
12. _____________________ _____ 12. _____________________ _____
13. _____________________ _____ 13. _____________________ _____
14. _____________________ _____ 14. _____________________ _____
15. _____________________ _____ 15. _____________________ _____
16. _____________________ _____ 16. _____________________ _____
17. _____________________ _____ 17. _____________________ _____
18. _____________________ _____ 18. _____________________ _____
19. _____________________ _____ 19. _____________________ _____
20. _____________________ _____ 20. _____________________ _____
Fraction who are faculty members: ______ Fraction who are faculty members: ______
