Stratified sampling
- Term
- Stratified sampling
- Exam
- CISA
- Definition
Dividing a population into groups with similar characteristics and sampling each group.
- Explained
Stratification divides a varied population into groups with similar characteristics, often by value, and samples each group separately. It lets auditors test all high-value items while sampling the rest, which is usually more efficient and more reliable than one random sample.
- In practice
Testing all payments above US$100,000 and a sample of smaller ones.
- Often confused with
- Random sampling
- Exam angle
Efficient when a few large items dominate the population.
- Related