The final type of probability sampling that we will discuss is cluster sampling. In a cluster sample, groups are chosen rather than particular individuals. Let’s say we are doing a national study on police officer’s perceptions of domestic violence. To use the other probability sampling techniques we’ve already discussed, we’d need to obtain a list of every police officer in the United States. As far as I know, no such list exists now or is likely to exist in the future (if you know of such a list, please send it to me!) It is entirely possible, however, to obtain a list of every police department in the United States (hard, but you can do it). With cluster sampling, we select a random sample of police departments. The major weakness of this method is that the members of a group may have something in common that contributes to a bias.
Key Terms
Population, Sample, Parameter, Statistic, Probability Sampling, Simple Random Sample, Bias, Sampling Frame, Systematic Sampling, Stratified Sampling, Cluster Sampling
Last Modified: 06/03/2021