Probability Sampling

As conducting market research involves responses/information from a specific group of people, it’s often impossible to obtain the said information from every person who falls under that group. In such situations, a sample group must be selected.

A sample group is a subset of a population or a target population. Most researchers target a specific population in regard to their research topic, and the sample group must be selected from this population.

For example, if I’m conducting research on the eating habits of college students in the United States, my sample group must be selected from the American college-going population.

Depending on your type of research, a method of sampling must be chosen. A “method of sampling” is the way in which the sample group is selected from the population. There are two main types of sampling methods, and they are as follows;

• Probability Sampling
  
  Probability sampling involves the choosing of a sample group through a “random” or “probabilistic” process.
• Non-Probability Sampling
  
  Non- probability sampling, on the other hand, involves the choosing of a sample group through non-random processes such as convenience sampling or researcher judgement, to name a few. 

In this article, we will specifically be delving into probability sampling and its characteristics.