Confidence Quote by Darrell Huff
“The purely random sample is the only kind that can be examined with confidence by means of statistical theory, but there is one things wrong with it. It is so difficult and expensive to obtain for many uses that sheer cost eliminates it. A more economical substitute, which is almost universally used in such fields as opinion polling and market research, is called stratified random sampling.”
About This Quote
Simple random samples are ideal but costly; stratified sampling offers a practical, cheaper alternative.
In simple terms: Simple random samples costly; stratified cheaper.
Key Takeaway
Use stratified sampling when resources limited.
Themes
statistics
methodology
cost
Mood
analytical
practical
Type
technical
educational
When to use this quote
- surveys
- market research
- public opinion polls
Key Concepts
sampling design
efficiency
Questions to Reflect On
- What strata best represent your population?
- How to balance cost and accuracy?
A Different Perspective
Stratified may introduce bias if strata poorly defined.
