Introduction to Sampling for Social Surveys

Making inferences about a population of interest is often essential for scientific inquiry. This can be important both in traditional social science research, for example when using probability surveys, as well as in new forms of data, for example sampling from large volumes of data. Furthermore, understanding sampling can enable researchers to evaluate the strengths and limitations of research designs and guide them towards more valid and robust ways of collecting and analysing data.

This course provides an overview of sampling techniques frequently used in survey designs. In particular, it focuses on the principles of designing and selecting samples of individuals. These principles are also discussed in terms of the effects on inference to the population of interest, the key goal of survey research.

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