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Course

Sampling in Python

IntermediateSkill Level

4.7+

Updated 01/2025

Learn to draw conclusions from limited data using Python and statistics. This course covers everything from random sampling to stratified and cluster sampling.

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PythonProbability & Statistics

4 hr

15 videos

51 Exercises

4,000 XP

53,099

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Course Description

Sampling in Python is the cornerstone of inference statistics and hypothesis testing. It's a powerful skill used in survey analysis and experimental design to draw conclusions without surveying an entire population. In this Sampling in Python course, you’ll discover when to use sampling and how to perform common types of sampling—from simple random sampling to more complex methods like stratified and cluster sampling. Using real-world datasets, including coffee ratings, Spotify songs, and employee attrition, you’ll learn to estimate population statistics and quantify uncertainty in your estimates by generating sampling distributions and bootstrap distributions.

Prerequisites

Introduction to Statistics in Python

1

Introduction to Sampling

Learn what sampling is and why it is so powerful. You’ll also learn about the problems caused by convenience sampling and the differences between true randomness and pseudo-randomness.

Sampling and point estimates

Reasons for sampling

Simple sampling with pandas

Simple sampling and calculating with NumPy

Convenience sampling

Are findings from the sample generalizable?

Are these findings generalizable?

Pseudo-random number generation

Generating random numbers

Understanding random seeds

2

Sampling Methods

It’s time to get hands-on and perform the four random sampling methods in Python: simple, systematic, stratified, and cluster.

Simple random and systematic sampling

Simple random sampling

Systematic sampling

Is systematic sampling OK?

Stratified and weighted random sampling

Which sampling method?

Proportional stratified sampling

Equal counts stratified sampling

Weighted sampling

Cluster sampling

Benefits of clustering

Performing cluster sampling

Comparing sampling methods

3 kinds of sampling

Comparing point estimates

3

Sampling Distributions

Let’s test your sampling. In this chapter, you’ll discover how to quantify the accuracy of sample statistics using relative errors, and measure variation in your estimates by generating sampling distributions.

Relative error of point estimates

Calculating relative errors

Relative error vs. sample size

Creating a sampling distribution

Replicating samples

Replication parameters

Approximate sampling distributions

Exact sampling distribution

Generating an approximate sampling distribution

Exact vs. approximate

Standard errors and the Central Limit Theorem

Population & sampling distribution means

Population & sampling distribution variation

4

Bootstrap Distributions

You’ll get to grips with resampling to perform bootstrapping and estimate variation in an unknown population. You’ll learn the difference between sampling distributions and bootstrap distributions using resampling.

Introduction to bootstrapping

Principles of bootstrapping

With or without replacement?

Generating a bootstrap distribution

Comparing sampling and bootstrap distributions

Bootstrap statistics and population statistics

Sampling distribution vs. bootstrap distribution

Compare sampling and bootstrap means

Compare sampling and bootstrap standard deviations

Confidence intervals

Confidence interval interpretation

Calculating confidence intervals

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Sampling in Python

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FAQs

What sampling methods does this course teach?

You will learn simple random, systematic, stratified, and cluster sampling, and practice each method in Python using real-world datasets.

What datasets are used in this course?

You work with coffee ratings, Spotify songs, and employee attrition data to practice sampling techniques and estimate population statistics.

What prior knowledge do I need?

You should know pandas, basic Python, and introductory statistics. Prior completion of Introduction to Statistics in Python is recommended.

Will I learn about bootstrap distributions?

Yes. The course covers how to generate both sampling distributions and bootstrap distributions to quantify uncertainty in your population estimates.

How is this course useful for my career?

Sampling skills are essential for survey analysis, experimental design, and A/B testing, all common tasks for data analysts and data scientists.

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