SOC222H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Sampling Distribution, Statistical Parameter, Confidence Interval
Document Summary
Important in determining population parameters: we use estimation to make choices based on incomplete information about the population of interest (i. e. we must usually use sample data). Calculating a point estimate: take the single value (e. g. mean, proportion, etc. ), from our randomly drawn sample, which estimates the population parameter of interest. That is, we can have a certain amount of confidence that falls within the range defined by: (lower bound) (upper bound). For example, if our level of confidence is 95%, then . Ci; the greater the level of confidence, the lower the value of , and the wider the corresponding. Ci: the confidence level (with alpha) is a value that we choose before we undertake our statistical test. Alpha, level of confidence, and the tails of the sampling distribution: the tails of a sampling distribution refer to the area/proportion of cases/probability located in the extreme ends of the distribution.
