INFERENTIAL STATISTICS
ED 202 1ST Semester S/Y 2025-2026
CHAPTER 7
SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION
At the end of the lesson, you will learn about:
Overview of Sampling Distribution.
Basic Concepts of Sampling Distribution
Central Limit Theorem
Standard Error of the Sample Mean
Importance in Education Research and Assessment
OVERVIEW, PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION
small
large
population
population
We often have questions concerning large populations.
Gathering information from the entire population is not always
possible due to barriers such as time, accessibility, or cost.
That’s why instead of gathering information from the whole
population, we often gather information from a smaller subset
of the population, known as sample or also refer as portion of
population selected for analysis.
However, even though sample refer to a smaller subset of
the population, we need to keep in mind that we need to use
multiple sample in order to ensure more accurate outcome
unlike using only one sample that can leads to unreliable and
inaccurate results due to the high likelihood of sampling
error and bias.
SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION
It is also known as finite-sample distribution.
It refers to a probability distribution of a statistic
that comes from choosing random samples of a given
population.
It measures probability potential among random samples of
a population.
PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION
The importance of a sampling distribution lies in its
fundamental role in statistical inference, allowing
researchers to make educated guesses about an entire
population based on a sample.
It is the framework used to understand, quantify, and
predict how much sample results vary, allowing for
reliable statistical inference about a larger population
using sample.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
SAMPLE – smaller subset of population.
MULTIPLE SAMPLE - used to ensure a more accurate outcome.
ONE SAMPLE - leads to unreliable and inaccurate results.
RANDOM SAMPLE - a selection method where each member of a
population has an equal and independent chance of being
chosen.
BASIC CONCEPTS RELATED TO SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION
WHAT IS A POPULATION?
• The population is the entire group that we want
to study or draw conclusions about.
• It includes all individuals, items, or scores of
interest.
Example: All Grade 9 students in San Roque National High
School.
WHAT IS A SAMPLE?
• A sample is a smaller group taken from the
population.
• It should represent the population as
accurately as possible.
Example: One section of Grade 9 (e.g., Grade 9 – Rizal) can be
your sample.
STATISTICS VS PARAMETER
Term Definition Example
A numerical value The average score
Parameter that describes the of all Grade 9
population. students.
A numerical value
The average score
Statistics that describes the
of Grade 9-Rizal.
sample.
WHY THESE CONCEPTS MATTER?
Understanding these terms helps teachers and researchers:
Design better assessments
Draw valid conclusions from limited data
Avoid bias in results
They are the building blocks of sampling distribution and
inferential statistics.
CLASSROOM EXAMPLE
Scenario:
• A teacher wants to know the average quiz score of Grade 9
students.
Population → All Grade 9 students
Sample → 1 section (Grade 9 – Rizal)
Statistic → Average quiz score of Grade 9 – Rizal = 78
Parameter → True average of all Grade 9 students
(unknown)
SUMMARY:
Population: Entire group of interest.
Sample: Small group representing the population
Parameter: Describes population.
Statistic: Describes sample.
Understanding these helps us interpret research
correctly.
CENTRAL LIMIT THEOREM ERROR
CENTRAL LIMIT THEOREM
It predicts the shape of a sampling distribution based on
the sample size.
If the sample size n is
large enough, then the
sampling distribution of
the sample mean will be
approximately normal.
n ≥ 30 The sampling
distribution of the
sample mean will be
approximately normal
when the sample size
is greater than or
equal to 30.
n ¿ 30 The normal approximation won’t be accurate. We can’t
apply the central limit theorem.
If the population distribution that you are sampling from is
already normally distributed to begin with, then the
sampling distribution will be normal even with smaller
sample sizes.
In practice, it’s better to have a good sample size anyway.
STANDARD ERROR OF THE SAMPLE MEAN
STANDARD ERROR
Variability between the means of the different samples.
Practical Example
IMPORTANCE IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
1. HELPS ESTIMATE POPULATION PARAMETERS.
This means they allow researchers to make informed guesses
about the characteristics of an entire group based on data
collected from a smaller sample.
2. EXPLAINS VARIATION IN TEST RESULTS.
Sampling distribution helps us understand that differences
between groups test results are normal not errors.
3. BASIS FOR INFERENTIAL STATISTICS AND DECISION-MAKING.
It is used to:
Make conclusions about student performance.
Test hyphotesis (e.g. Did the new teaching method improve
scores?)
Calculate confidence intervals.
1. It tells us what is normal and what is unusual.
2. It allows us to compare results scientifically.
3. It helps us decided if a result is meaningful.
SUMMARY
SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION – shows how a sample statistics varies
across repeated samples and serves as the foundation for
making reliable conclusions about a population.
IMPORTANT IN INFERENTIAL STATISTICS – allows researchers to
make reliable conclusions about a population based on
limited sample data.
POPULATION – entire group of interest.
SAMPLE – small group of representing the population.
PARAMETER – describes sample.
STATISTIC – describes sample.
REFERENCES:
[Link]
[Link]
science/sampling-distribution/#:~:text=A%20sampling%20
distribution%20refers%20to,be%20for%20a%20specific
%20population.
Prepared by:
FUENTES, JESSICA C.
JORTA, ROMIL P.
LUZON, MONICA A.
YUSON, MARIAM MAY B.
Reporters
Noted by:
DR. RONALD ASIS
Professor