Bivariate data: population or sample?

Some bivariate data sets are complete populations — there is no larger underlying population of which the data are representative. The 'individuals' in such data sets commonly have names or other labels that are an inherent part of the data.

More often, we have no interest in the specific individuals from which the data are collected. The individuals are 'representative' of a larger population or process, and our main interest is in this underlying population.

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