sampling

sampling samp‧ling [ˈsɑːmplɪŋ ǁ ˈsæm-] noun [countable, uncountable]

STATISTICS the activity of checking a small number of products from a larger number, asking questions to people from a larger number etc, so as to understand better the group as a whole:

• We use extensive product sampling to guarantee the freshness of our products.

• The statistics were based on a sampling of 400 people.

acˈceptance ˌsampling

1. MANUFACTURING a way of checking the quality of mass-produced goods, in which a small number of the finished items are examined, and the standard of this sample is used as a guide to the quality of the rest:

• Inspection is undertaken primarily by process control and acceptance sampling.

2. ACCOUNTING when a small number of documents, records etc are checked to see if they are correct, and the standard of this sample is used as a guide to whether the rest are correct

ˈwork ˌsampling

1. also activity sampling MANUFACTURING the process of studying the activities of a group of workers or machines over a period of time, in order to find out how much time is spent on each activity that they do:

• Work sampling was conducted at the factory over a period of a month.

2. HUMAN RESOURCES a method of finding out if someone is suitable for a job, by asking them to do an activity that is an important part of that job:

• Work sampling tests are sometimes used by employers when interviewing people for jobs.

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sampling UK US /ˈsɑːmplɪŋ/ noun

► [U] the activity of providing or trying a small amount of a product so someone can decide whether to buy it: »

When it works, sampling can be the most effective form of advertising.

► [U] MARKETING the activity of getting the opinions of a number of people chosen from a group, in order to find out about the whole group: »

Something has gone wrong in the sampling methods used by the market researchers.

► [U] the activity of testing a small amount of something to see whether it is good, whether it contains a particular substance, etc.: »

air/blood/water sampling

► [C] a small amount, number, or part of something that is tried or tested: »

He'll collect a sampling of 100 items and then scan them to confirm their prices.

»

a random sampling

→ See also ACCEPTANCE SAMPLING(Cf. ↑acceptance sampling), NON PROBABILITY SAMPLING(Cf. ↑non probability sampling), PROBABILITY SAMPLING(Cf. ↑probability sampling), SNOWBALL SAMPLING(Cf. ↑snowball sampling), STRATIFIED SAMPLING(Cf. ↑stratified sampling), WORK SAMPLING(Cf. ↑work sampling)