Define what is meant by a sampling frame.

A sampling frame is a list of the people to be researched. A list of the target population

Discuss the question below and then click to reveal the suggested response.

What sampling frame could be used for the following?

1. Parents of children in a local primary school

School records of the children

2. Sixth form students in a school/college

School/college register

3. People involved in the London riots of 2011

Difficult to obtain such a list

4. People working in a hospital

List of employees working at the hospital from the payroll department

5. Members of a local football club

All the members of the team

6. Households in a local area

Post-code address file


If you cannot think of a sampling frame for any or all of the above what could you do?

What issues may be involved in obtaining sampling frames?

  • ethics
  • gatekeepers

Can you describe any other issues with sampling frames?

  • May be out of date
  • May not include everyone – school registers would not include home educated children in an area
  • May not indicate age, ethnicity or gender – for example the electoral roll
  • Some groups will not have a sampling frame – homeless in an area
  • May be confidential