What is area sampling?

Area sampling is a statistical technique used to estimate the proportion of a population in a specific area.

Area sampling is a method of sampling that involves dividing a population into smaller areas or clusters, and then selecting a sample from each of these areas. This technique is commonly used in surveys and studies where it is not feasible or practical to sample the entire population.

To use area sampling, the population is first divided into smaller areas or clusters. These areas should be homogeneous, meaning that they should have similar characteristics. For example, if the population is a city, the areas could be neighbourhoods.

Once the areas have been identified, a sample is selected from each area. The sample size for each area should be proportional to the size of the area. For example, if one area has twice the population of another area, the sample size for the larger area should be twice as large as the sample size for the smaller area.

The data collected from each sample is then used to estimate the proportion of the population in each area. These estimates can be combined to estimate the proportion of the entire population.

Area sampling can be an effective way to estimate population characteristics when it is not feasible or practical to sample the entire population. However, it is important to ensure that the areas are homogeneous and that the sample sizes are proportional to the size of the areas.