I give a project to my statistics classes (online and face-to-face) where they have to challenge a claim by collecting data and analyzing it. The problem I am having is educating the students about random sampling. Almost all of them think that if they "say" they are collecting a random sample that it is random. I want them to come up with some sort of predetermined plan to collect data then realize that random sampling is almost impossible to achieve. What I used to do is give them an example of asking every 3rd (or so) person walking by them at a certain place on campus but then everyone used that exact same method and never even thought of the flaws in this system. Now I do not give them an example because I want them to think about it and not take randomness for granted.
Does anyone have any handouts or know of a text that discusses random sampling? I use Triola but there is only brief information on the definitions of various methods and flaws in some of them. It does not give suggestions on what randomness looks like.
Thanks,
Cindy Moss
Skyline College
