What is Two-stage Cluster Sampling?
Two-stage cluster sampling is a probability sampling technique where two sampling stages are used. In the first stage, clusters of participants are selected from the population. In the second stage, individuals from the selected clusters are randomly selected to take part in the survey. This technique is commonly used when it is difficult or costly to collect data from the entire population.
Advantages of Two-stage Cluster Sampling
Two-stage cluster sampling has several advantages over other sampling methods:
- It is very cost-effective since data collection only needs to be done in a few clusters rather than the entire population.
- The method is practical when it is difficult to access the entire population or when it is expensive to survey the entire population.
- The method is flexible and can be adjusted to suit the needs of the study.
- The method is suitable for large populations.
Disadvantages of Two-stage Cluster Sampling
Two-stage cluster sampling also has some disadvantages:
- It is not suitable for small populations.
- The sample size is usually large and thus, the sample may not be representative of the population.
- The results of the study can be biased if there is uneven distribution of the population.
Two-stage cluster sampling is a useful method to use when the population is large and it is difficult or expensive to collect data from the entire population. However, the results may be biased if the population is not evenly distributed. For more information about two-stage cluster sampling, please refer to the following links: