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100-Metodos-de-Qualidade-Total

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210 <strong>100</strong> METHODS FOR TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT<br />

Method 91<br />

Sampling<br />

Purpose<br />

A method by which a small number of items (the sample) is drawn from a<br />

larger number of items (the population) in or<strong>de</strong>r to draw a conclusion<br />

about the population based upon information from the sample.<br />

When to use<br />

Sampling is used when the overall size of the population is such that to gain<br />

full information would be impossible, time-consuming or very costly.<br />

Un<strong>de</strong>r some circumstances, sampling can be more accurate than information<br />

obtained from the total popUlation.<br />

How to use<br />

There are five common methods of sampling in common usage.<br />

Random sampling<br />

This is when the sample is <strong>de</strong>signed so that every member of the population<br />

has an equal probability of being chosen. It is usual to do this using random<br />

numbers to tell you which items to select. Random sampling is used when<br />

there are no known patterns or trends in the data.<br />

The disadvantages are that it can be costly and that, if the population is<br />

ill <strong>de</strong>fined, it is impossible to number the items to allow the sample to be<br />

<strong>de</strong>signed.<br />

Stratified sampling<br />

This is when the sample is <strong>de</strong>signed to reflect prior knowledge about the<br />

population. An example of this is social trends where groups A, B, C, D<br />

and E are chosen. A random sample is then taken within each group or<br />

stratum. Stratified sampling gives more precise information than random<br />

sampling.<br />

Cluster sampling<br />

This is when the population is split into groups or clusters and then a<br />

random choice of clusters is ma<strong>de</strong>. Random sampling then takes place<br />

within the cluster.

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