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Biostatistics

    For several reasons, collecting a random sample from an appropriate population is crucial in bio-statistical research. The quality and reliability of the results obtained from a study are highly dependent on the sample of individuals being studied and how representative it is of the entire population (Bates et al., 2023). Here are some reasons why collecting a random sample from an appropriate population is essential:

    A random sample ensures that everyone in the population is equally likely to be selected for the study. This selection method eliminates any potential bias and guarantees that the sample selected is an accurate representation of the population. Biases in sampling can occur in many ways, such as self-selection, where participants volunteer themselves, or convenience sampling, where participants are selected based on their availability (He et al., 2023). These methods can lead to a sample that is not representative of the population and thus affect the validity of the results.

    Again, collecting a random sample allows for statistical inference, which is generalizations about the population based on the sample data. Statistical inference is essential because it enables researchers to conclude the entire population, even though they have only studied a small portion. By collecting a random sample, researchers can use statistical methods to estimate the population’s characteristics and infer whether the sample’s findings apply to the whole population.

    Additionally, collecting a random sample ensures that the results are more likely to be reproducible. Reproducibility is the ability to obtain the same results repeatedly under the same conditions. Random sampling helps to ensure that the sample selected is not influenced by extraneous factors that could impact the results. This means that if the study were repeated using the same population, the results would be similar, providing reassurance of the study’s validity and reliability.

    Finally, collecting a random sample from an appropriate population is crucial because it increases the study’s external validity, which is the extent to which the study results can be generalized to the broader population from which the sample was drawn (Shi et al., 2022).When researchers collect a random sample, they ensure that every member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the study. This helps to minimize bias and increase the representativeness of the sample. As a result, the findings obtained from the sample are more likely to reflect the characteristics of the population as a whole, which enhances the study’s external validity.

    External validity is important because it determines the degree to which the findings of a study can be applied to other populations, settings, and contexts. If a study has high external validity, the findings can be generalized to other populations and settings more confidently (Stratton, 2021). Conversely, suppose a study has low external validity. In that case, the findings may only be applicable to the specific population and context from which the sample was drawn, limiting the broader applicability of the study’s results.

References

Bates, D. W., Levine, D. M., Salmasian, H., Syrowatka, A., Shahian, D. M., Lipsitz, S., … & Mort, E. (2023). The Safety of Inpatient Health Care. New England Journal of Medicine, 388(2), 142-153.

He, Y., Shen, X., Xu, R., Zhang, T., Jiang, Y., Zou, W., & Cui, P. (2023). Covariate-Shift Generalization via Random Sample Weighting.

Shi, J. Y., Zhang, X., Qian, S. J., Wei, S. M., Yan, K. X., Xu, M., … & Tonetti, M. S. (2022). Evidence and risk indicators of non?random sampling in clinical trials in implant dentistry: A systematic appraisal. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 49(2), 144-152.

Stratton, S. J. (2021). Population research: convenience sampling strategies. Prehospital and disaster Medicine, 36(4), 373-374.

this is qoustion was

This week we are exploring the research area of biostatistics, where a researcher decides to analyze a specific population of interest and where the researcher defines both the population and the objective of the analysis. Researchers often select a sample of adults in a specific demographic and/or geographic area to assess the issues they have identified and is known as the field of epidemiology. The goal of epidemiology researchers is to study health and illness in human populations and disease patterns in efforts to inform the medical community about these populations. One of the biggest challenges is clearly defining the research question and study design. With your understanding from this module of biostatistical research, explain the importance of collecting a random sample from an appropriate population.