Cluster sampling is a sampling technique used when "natural" but relatively heterogeneous

groupings are evident in a statistical population. It is often used in marketing research. In this
technique, the total population is divided into these groups (or clusters) and a simple random
sample of the groups is selected. The elements in each cluster are then sampled. If all elements
in each sampled cluster are sampled, then this is referred to as a "one-stage" cluster design. If a
simple random subsample of elements is selected within each of these groups, this is referred to
as a "two-stage" design. A common motivation for cluster sampling is to reduce the total number
of interviews and costs given the desired accuracy. Assuming a fixed sample size, the technique
gives more accurate results when most of the variation in the population is within the groups, not
between them.
Contents
[hide]

1Cluster elements

2Aspects of cluster sampling

3Advantage

4Disadvantage

5More on cluster sampling

o

5.1Two-stage cluster sampling

6See also

7References

Cluster elements[edit]
The population within a cluster should ideally be as heterogeneous as possible, but there should
be homogeneity between cluster means. Each cluster should be a small-scale representation of
the total population. The clusters should be mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. A
random sampling technique is then used on any relevant clusters to choose which clusters to
include in the study. In single-stage cluster sampling, all the elements from each of the selected
clusters are used. In two-stage cluster sampling, a random sampling technique is applied to the
elements from each of the selected clusters.
The main difference between cluster sampling and stratified sampling is that in cluster sampling
the cluster is treated as the sampling unit so analysis is done on a population of clusters (at least
in the first stage). In stratified sampling, the analysis is done on elements within strata. In
stratified sampling, a random sample is drawn from each of the strata, whereas in cluster
sampling only the selected clusters are studied. The main objective of cluster sampling is to
reduce costs by increasing sampling efficiency. This contrasts with stratified sampling where the
main objective is to increase precision.
There also exists multistage sampling, here more than two steps are taken in selecting clusters
from clusters.

Aspects of cluster sampling[edit]

One version of cluster sampling is area sampling or geographical cluster sampling. Clusters
consist of geographical areas. Because a geographically dispersed population can be expensive

to survey, greater economy than simple random sampling can be achieved by treating several
respondents within a local area as a cluster. It is usually necessary to increase the total sample
size to achieve equivalent precision in the estimators, but cost savings may make that feasible.
In some situations, cluster analysis is only appropriate when the clusters are approximately the
same size. This can be achieved by combining clusters. If this is not possible, probability
proportionate to size sampling is used. In this method, the probability of selecting any cluster
varies with the size of the cluster, giving larger clusters a greater probability of selection and
smaller clusters a lower probability. However, if clusters are selected with probability
proportionate to size, the same number of interviews should be carried out in each sampled
cluster so that each unit sampled has the same probability of selection.
Cluster sampling is used to estimate high mortalities in cases such as wars, famines and natural
disasters.[1]

Advantage[edit]

Can be cheaper than other methods e.g. fewer travel expenses, administration costs.

Feasibility: This method takes large populations into account. Since these groups are so
large, deploying any other technique would be very difficult task. It is feasible only when you
are dealing with large population.

Economy: The regular two major concerns of expenditure, i.e., traveling and listing, are
greatly reduced in this method. For example: Compiling research information about every
house hold in city would be a very difficult, whereas compiling information about various
blocks of the city will be easier. Here, traveling as well as listing efforts will be greatly
reduced.

Reduced variability: When estimates are being considered by any other method, reduced
variability in results are observed. This may not be an ideal situation every time.

Disadvantage[edit]

Higher sampling error, which can be expressed in the so-called "design effect", the ratio
between the number of subjects in the cluster study and the number of subjects in an equally
reliable, randomly sampled unclustered study.[2]

Biased samples: If the group in population that is chosen as a sample has a biased
opinion, then the entire population is inferred to have the same opinion. This may not be the
actual case.

Errors: The other probabilistic methods give fewer errors than this method. For this reason, it is
discouraged for beginners.

More on cluster sampling[edit]

Two-stage cluster sampling[edit]
Two-stage cluster sampling, a simple case of multistage sampling, is obtained by selecting
cluster samples in the first stage and then selecting sample of elements from every sampled
cluster. Consider a population of N clusters in total. In the first stage, n clusters are selected
using ordinary cluster sampling method. In the second stage, simple random sampling is usually
used.[3] It is used separately in every cluster and the numbers of elements selected from different
clusters are not necessarily equal. The total number of clusters N, number of clusters selected n,
and numbers of elements from selected clusters need to be pre-determined by the survey

designer. Two-stage cluster sampling aims at minimizing survey costs and at the same time
controlling the uncertainty related to estimates of interest.[4] This method can be used in health
and social sciences. For instance, researchers used two-stage cluster sampling to generate a
representative sample of the Iraqi population to conduct mortality surveys. [5] Sampling in this
method can be quicker and more reliable than other methods, which is why this method is now
used frequently.

See also[edit]

Multistage sampling

Sampling (statistics)

Simple random sampling

Stratified sampling

References[edit]
1.

Jump up^ David Brown, Study Claims Iraq's 'Excess' Death Toll Has Reached
655,000, Washington Post, Wednesday, October 11, 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2010.

2.

Jump up^ Kerry and Bland (1998). Statistics notes: The intracluster correlation coefficient
in cluster randomization. British Medical Journal, 316, 14551460.

3.

Jump up^ Ahmed, Saifuddin (2009). Methods in Sample Surveys (PDF). The Johns
Hopkins University and Saifuddin Ahmed.

4.

Jump up^ Daniel Pfeffermann; C. Radhakrishna Rao (2009). Handbook of Statistics

Vol.29A Sample Surveys: Theory, Methods and Infernece. Elsevier B.V. ISBN 978-0-444-53124-7.

5.

Jump up^ LP Galway; Nathaniel Bell; Al S SAE; Amy Hagopian; Gilbert Burnham;
Abraham Flaxman; Wiliam M Weiss; Julie Rajaratnam; Tim K Takaro (27 April 2012). "A two-stage
cluster sampling method using gridded population data, a GIS, and Google EarthTM imagery in a
population-based mortality survey in Iraq". International Journal of Health Geographics.