Surveys

  • Q: How many rainforests are there in the world? 

    A: A census found there’s a brazillion.

  • Lyrics © 2018 Lawrence M. Lesser
    may sing to the tune of "Annie's Song" by John Denver

    Don’t try for a census 
    when the best thing’s a sample.
    But now how could a sample 
    surpass trying for all?
    Well, samples are faster 
    (so less outdated data)
    and samples are cheaper 
    (less workers to hire)!

    Sometimes a census 
    simply can’t even be done:
    If you needed a blood test, 
    should they take some or all?
    If they crash-tested all cars, 
    they’d have no cars to sell you!
    Just take a sample 
    from what is mixed well.

    If the sample’s much smaller 
    than the whole population,
    Then precision goals lean on 
    the sample size n,
    Not the sampling fraction: 
    that is really amazing!
    Don’t try for a census, 
    come sample instead!

  • Q: What do you call noting prices of the candy by the front door at your neighborhood 7-Eleven?

    A: Convenience sampling.

    Larry Lesser

  • What explains why some Senators ignore testimony when they vote on Federal Court nominations?

    Answer: Confirmation bias.

    Larry Lesser and Dennis Pearl

  • lyric © 2017 Lawrence M. Lesser
    sing to the tune of the KC & the Sunshine Band hit “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty”

    Two…. million readers
    picked Landon to
    advance;
    Gallup
    disagreed
    from thousands picked by chance.

    CHORUS:
    (Shake, shake, shake,
    shake, shake, shake:
    random sample,
    random sample)2x

    Ahhh, you think
    you can pick them
    very well,
    But drafting
    for Vietnam
    wasn’t swell.

    (Repeat Chorus)

    Shake, shake, shake
    shake, shake, shake:
    iPod Shuffle,
    quick pick lotto.
    Shake, shake, shake,
    take, take, take:
    random sample!

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