Cluster sampling is a sampling technique where the population is divided into

clusters or groups, and a random sample of clusters is selected. All individuals

within the selected clusters are then included in the sample.
Advantages:
 Cost-effective: Requires fewer resources to conduct the survey.
 Cluster sampling is particularly useful when the population is spread out
over a large geographical area.
 Increased efficiency: more efficient as it requires less time and effort to
select the sample.
Disadvantages:
 Increased variability: Individuals within the same cluster are likely to be
more similar to each other than to individuals in other clusters.
 Biased results: Cluster sampling may lead to biased results if the clusters
are not representative of the population being studied.
 Large cluster size: When the cluster size is large, cluster sampling may
lead to a significant oversampling of certain subgroups within the
population, which can lead to biased results.

Multistage sampling is a sampling technique that involves dividing the

population into smaller subgroups or stages and then selecting samples from
each stage.

Advantages:
 Efficiency: Multistage sampling can be more efficient than simple
random sampling, as it allows researchers to focus on specific subgroups
of the population that are of interest, rather than sampling the entire
population.
 Cost-effectiveness: Multistage sampling can be more cost-effective than
other sampling methods, as it can reduce the cost of sampling by
minimizing the amount of resources required to sample the entire
population.
  Reduced sampling error: allows for the selection of a more
representative sample by stratifying the population into subgroups and
selecting samples from each subgroup.
Disadvantages:
 Complexity: It requires researchers to divide the population into smaller
subgroups or stages and then select samples from each stage.
 Potential bias: Multistage sampling can introduce bias if the stages are
not representative of the population, or if the sampling process is not
conducted properly.
 Reduced precision: Multistage sampling can reduce precision, as it
involves sampling from smaller subgroups, which can increase the
variability in the sample.

Stratified sampling is a sampling method in which the population is divided

into non-overlapping subgroups, called strata, and a random sample is taken
from each stratum.

Advantages:
 Increased Precision: Stratified sampling ensures that each stratum of the
population is represented in the sample, which can increase the precision
of the estimates for the population as a whole.
 Reduces Sampling Error: Stratified sampling reduces the potential for
sampling error by reducing the variability within each stratum, since the
sample is taken from each stratum.
 More Accurate Representation: Stratified sampling ensures that each
subgroup of the population is represented in the sample, which can
provide a more accurate representation of the population.
Disadvantages:
 Complexity: More complex and time-consuming than other sampling
methods, especially if the strata are difficult to define or measure.
 Cost: Stratified sampling can be more expensive than other sampling
methods, especially if the number of strata is large or the population is
widely dispersed.
 Time-consuming: Stratified sampling can take longer than other
sampling methods, especially if the strata are difficult to define or if the
sampling method is not truly random within each stratum.