What is a sampling frame?

What is a sampling frame?

• A. A method to select participants randomly.
• B. A set of inclusion criteria used to screen participants.
• C. A measure of variability in the population.
• D. A list or mechanism from which a sample is drawn; it should represent the target population.

Answer: (D)

In sampling, the sampling frame is the actual source you draw from — a list or mechanism that should represent the target population. It defines who could potentially be included in your sample, so the frame directly influences how representative the results will be. It’s not about eligibility criteria (that’s who you allow to participate) and it’s not the method you use to select participants, nor is it a measure of variability in the population. If the frame leaves out parts of the population or includes ineligible units, you get coverage bias and the sample may not reflect the group you want to study. For example, using a directory of apartment addresses to study all city adults might miss non‑household residents, making the frame imperfect. The goal is to have a frame that closely matches the target population, so the sampling method you apply yields a representative sample.

In sampling, the sampling frame is the actual source you draw from — a list or mechanism that should represent the target population. It defines who could potentially be included in your sample, so the frame directly influences how representative the results will be. It’s not about eligibility criteria (that’s who you allow to participate) and it’s not the method you use to select participants, nor is it a measure of variability in the population. If the frame leaves out parts of the population or includes ineligible units, you get coverage bias and the sample may not reflect the group you want to study. For example, using a directory of apartment addresses to study all city adults might miss non‑household residents, making the frame imperfect. The goal is to have a frame that closely matches the target population, so the sampling method you apply yields a representative sample.