Cluster sampling

Conglomerate sampling is a technique that explores the existence of groups in the

population. These groups adequately represent the total population in relation to the
characteristic that we want to measure. In other words, these groups contain variability in the
entire population. If this happens, you can select only a few of these conglomerates to conduct
the study. Unlike the previous techniques in which the sample units coincide with the individuals
to be studied, in the sample by clusters, the sample units are study groups, which can be very
beneficial in relation to the sampling cost itself. In return, it is common to obtain less precision
when using this technique, caused by the lack of heterogeneity within the conglomerates. For
example, if we want to know the education of the residents of a neighborhood in a given
Brazilian metropolis, we will divide this neighborhood into small areas on a map. After this
division, a simple random sampling of these small areas is made and, in them, all their residents
will be interviewed to learn about their schooling.