Choosing your sample
Before selecting your sample, you will need to identify your target population, your study population and your sampling frame.
| Target Population | This is the population you wish to draw conclusions about. |
|---|---|
| Study Population | The study population is the population from which the sample will be drawn. This may be the same as the target population, or it may be a more limited, accessible population. Ideally the study population should be chosen in a way that makes it representative of the target population, so that the results can be generalised. |
| Sampling Frame | The sampling frame is a complete list of all the sampling units within the study population. A sampling frame may be drawn up from census data, electoral registers, school registers, health centre records or other similar sources. When using a pre-existing sampling frame it is important to consider whether the listing of dwellings/households is still current or whether it needs to be updated. |
| Sampling Unit | Sampling units are the individual subjects which make up (or have the potential to make up) our sample. These may be individuals, households, schools, hospitals, villages, etc. |