What is defined as the set of all individuals of interest in a study?

In research and statistics, the term "population" refers to the complete set of individuals or items that are of interest in a particular study. This includes every member of the group that the researchers want to draw conclusions about. For instance, if a study aims to understand the behaviors of all university students in Canada, then the population would include every university student across the country.

Understanding this concept is crucial because all statistical analysis is based on data collected from a sample drawn from the population. A sample is only a subset of the larger population, whereas the population encompasses everyone relevant to the research question. This distinction is fundamental in interpreting research findings correctly, as generalizing from a sample to a population depends on how well that sample represents the entire population.

Additionally, a variable refers to any measurable characteristic or attribute that can vary among individuals in the study, while a parameter is a numerical value that summarizes some aspect of the population. The correct identification of what constitutes a population sets the foundation for effective data collection and analysis in research.