What does it mean to take a random sample and how could you get a random sample when taking a survey?

Like the question says..

What does it mean to take a random sample and how could you get a random sample when taking a survey?
Taking a random sample means to take any value from a group with out being baised to any factors.


For example ina survey you go and ask any Tom Dick and Harry about their thoughts on the isues.


Like this we can make a safe assumption that since I have all the samples select random.


We can take the example of quality inspector of a textile company, in a lot he picks any 10 sample of shirt the inspect them if all are as per statndard then he assumes the whole lot is correct.


Hope this help.
Reply:A random sample is one where you attempt to avoid getting data from sources that might be biased. Such a bias can be caused by a wide range of effects, depending on what you're sampling.





Relating that to your survey question, for example, if you were doing a survey about the average person's fitness, it would not be random if you surveyed people exiting a gym, a Weight Watchers meeting or other non-average people.





The simple answer to randomizing a survey is to randomize the people you ask. Even then, the fact that you will only get _some_ people to cooperate tends to skew the results because you didn't get answers from the others who refused. IOW, people who volunteer to answer your questions may not represent a good cross-section of a population.
Reply:You can perform a random sample of, say, all business addresses in the city of Marietta, Georgia, by assigning each address a number, and putting that number in a bag, and then pull 10 numbers from that bag, for example. That would be a random statistical event. Of course other techniques using computer software, for example, is more appropriate for these techniques.