Introduction
In research, it is often impossible to study every individual in a population. Researchers therefore select a smaller group, called a sample, to represent the larger population.
Sampling helps researchers save:
- Time
- Money
- Effort
while still collecting useful and reliable information.
Population
The entire group a researcher wants to study.
Example:
All university students in Ethiopia.
Sample
A smaller group selected from the population.
Example:
300 university students selected from different universities.
Why Sampling Matters
Without sampling:
- Research can become too expensive.
- Data collection may take too long.
- Managing information becomes difficult.
Good sampling improves:
- Accuracy
- Efficiency
- Representativeness
Real-Life Example
A clinic wants to understand patient satisfaction. Instead of interviewing all 10,000 patients, they survey 300 patients.
The 300 patients are the sample.
Reflection Question
Why might studying the entire population sometimes be impossible?