Systematic Sampling

Systematic sampling (also called interval sampling) is a probability sampling technique that selects population elements at fixed intervals. This sampling method can be used when there is an available list of all elements of the population of interest or when a convenience sample is selected using fixed intervals (also called a flow sample, e.g., selecting every 10th student entering a school building). Systematic sampling is also practical when the sampling frame covers a well-defined spatial area (e.g., selecting every fifth room from a college dormitory). In education research, systematic sampling could be used to sample students from rosters within schools or to select parents for a survey using an administrative list of e-mail addresses, among other situations. This entry reviews principles of systematic sampling, the ...