Population Parameter

Parameter

Trent D. Buskirk

A parameter is a numerical quantity or attribute of a population that is estimated using data collected from the population. Parameters are to populations as statistics are to samples. For example, in survey research, the true proportion of voters who vote for a presidential candidate in the next national election may be of interest. Such a parameter may be estimated using a sample proportion computed from data gathered via a probability sample of registered voters. Or, the actual annual average household "out-of-pocket" medical expenses for a given year (parameter) could be estimated from data provided by the Medical Expenditures Survey. Or, the modal race of students within a particular school is an example of an attribute parameter that could be estimated using data acquired via a cluster sample of classrooms .

Population Parameter

Sunghee Lee

Population parameters, also termed population characteristics , are numerical expressions summarizing various aspects of the entire population. One common example is the population mean, where F; is some characteristic of interest observed from the element i in the population of size N . Means, medians, proportions, and totals may be classified as descriptive parameters, while there are parameters measuring relationships, such as differences in descriptive parameters, correlation, and regression coefficients. Although population parameters are sometimes considered unobservable, they are taken to be fixed and potentially measurable quantities using survey statistics. This is because sampling statistics are developed for well-specified finite populations that social science studies attempt to examine and that the population parameters depend on all elements in the population. Before any sort of data collection.

Reference

ps://srmo.sagepub.com/view/encyclopedia-of-survey-research-methods/n386.xml

http://srmo.sagepub.com/view/encyclopedia-of-survey-research-methods/n370.xml