Multistage Sampling vs Sequential Sampling
Sampling is one of the most important aspects in every walk of life. Sampling is required by every one from institutions to Governments and from a small community to big industry. Sampling provides the results that are used to make decisions that have significance bearing on the future. Sampling is a scientific way of collecting data about a particular product, idea or about anything that has to be modified. Multistage sampling and Sequential sampling are two ways of collecting and analyzing data and are used for different types of data. Multistage sampling is used for mass sampling and sequential sampling is used on relatively small size of samples.
What is Multistage Sampling?
Multistage sampling can be compared to cluster sampling but is much more complex. In this sampling method different clusters of data are formed and few samples from these clusters are randomly selected for analyzing. It is multistage sampling because clusters of data are formed at different levels. In first level large numbers of groups are formed and then few samples are taken from each group to form second level and this process is repeated to analyze all the data. This way of sampling is fast and cheap and saves lot of time but this method is less accurate. Multilevel sampling is used in case total list of the samples is not available like in case a mass population has to be surveyed for particular habit or liking.
What is Sequential Sampling?
Sequential sampling is done on small data and it is analyzed continuously as the samples are collected. The sampling is continued till a desired result is obtained. In sequential sampling method the size of data is never defined before hand and as soon as the first batch of data is obtained and analyzed and if the results are significant and relevant to the purpose for which sampling is done then sampling is stopped. If the desired result is not achieved then next batch of sample is taken and analyzed. This process is continued till desired result is achieved. This allows the sampler to fine tune the results.
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In brief: Multistage Sampling vs Sequential Sampling • Multistage sampling is done on mass scale where as sequential sampling is done on much smaller scale. • Multistage sampling uses probability as the base but sequential sampling is not based on probability. • Multistage sampling is done to get idea and results are not accurate whereas sequential sampling can be repeated to get accurate results. • The size of the sampling is predefined in multistage sampling but it is not in sequential sampling. • Multistage sampling is generally done to get data about the population whereas sequential sampling is generally done during conducting experiments.
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