Sampling is a fundamental research technique used in sociology and other disciplines that involves studying a carefully selected proportion of individuals or cases from a larger population in order to gather data and make inferences or generalisations about the characteristics of that entire population as a whole. The key principle of sampling is to select a subset that is representative of the larger group, meaning that it accurately reflects the diversity and key attributes of the population of interest. Various sampling methods exist, including probability sampling techniques like random sampling, stratified sampling, and cluster sampling, which aim to ensure that every member of the population has a known chance of being selected, as well as non-probability sampling techniques like convenience sampling and snowball sampling, which may be used when a representative sample is not feasible or the research goals are exploratory. The quality of a sample is crucial for the validity and generalizability of research findings.