sample

1. A specimen of a whole entity small enough to involve no threat or damage to the whole; an aliquot. 2. A selected subset of a population; a s. may be random or nonrandom (haphazard), representative or nonrepresentative. [M.E. ensample, fr. L. exemplum, example]

- cluster s. each sampling unit is a group of individuals.

- end- tidal s. a s. of the last gas expired in a normal expiration, ideally consisting only of alveolar gas.

- Haldane-Priestley s. an approximation of alveolar gas obtained from the end of a sudden maximal expiration into a Haldane tube.

- probability s. each individual in the s. has a known, generally equal, chance of being selected.

- proficiency samples samples sent to a laboratory as unknowns to allow an external assessment of laboratory performance, a frequent practice as part of proficiency testing programs to ensure the laboratory is generating correct results. SEE ALSO: proficiency testing.

- Rahn-Otis s. an approximation of alveolar gas continuously provided by a simple device that admits just the latter part of each expiration.

- random s. a selection on the basis of chance of individuals or items in a population for research; selection is made in such a way that all members presumably have the same chance of being selected.

- stratified s. a subset of a total population, defined by some objective criterion such as age or occupation, is sampled.

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Study on Ambulatory Monitoring of Pressure and Lisinopril Evaluation

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sam·ple 'sam-pəl n

1) a representative part or a single item from a larger whole or group esp. when presented for inspection or shown as evidence of quality: SPECIMEN <a blood \sample>

2) a finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied to gain information about the whole

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sam·ple (samґpəl) [L. exemplum example] 1. a representative part taken to typify the whole. 2. a subset of a population that is selected for inclusion in a research study.