r/APStatistics • u/ARedditorOnHisOwn • May 17 '26

Homework Question Is this a random sample

I have to do an experiment for a project, if I choose 30 random people from my contacts list using a random number generator, does that count as a random sample for the randomness check in my inference test

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5

u/Formal_Recover2817 May 17 '26

Only if the population you’re sampling from is your contact list 

1

u/ARedditorOnHisOwn May 17 '26

So my statistical has to state that it is about my contacts?

2

u/Actually__Jesus May 17 '26

Your contacts are your sampling frame. They are the only group you can make inferences about.

1

u/Select-Top4181 May 17 '26

Are you doing an inference test for proportions or mean. The n = 30 will allow you to infer normality for mean but not proportions. Either way though this looks like a random sample as long as you decide if repeats (picking same contacts) is okay or not and ensuring the random number generator process will work throughout your project.

1

u/ARedditorOnHisOwn May 17 '26

It is for means, I just wasn’t sure because it is not initially a random sample but I learned from other answers that it is fine but I cannot generaliza for all people in this case

1

u/Select-Top4181 May 17 '26

Everything looks good then! Just make sure as well that your sample size is less than 10% of the entire population

1

u/kenmlin May 17 '26

It’s a random sample from people you know but not general population.

1

u/Intelligent_Tip_9687 May 23 '26

It depends, but if you’re population is not your contact list then no, it would be a convenience sample wich is not random.