What is the term for the selection of a part of the population for study purposes?

The selected term refers to the process of choosing a segment of a larger group to analyze, which is fundamental in research and evaluation practices. Sampling enables researchers to draw conclusions about an entire population without needing to study every single individual, which can be impractical or impossible due to time or resource constraints.

This method allows researchers to gather data, test hypotheses, and make inferences about the wider population based on the insights gleaned from the sampled subset. Effective sampling techniques help ensure that the selected group is representative of the larger population, thereby enhancing the validity of the study’s findings.

Other options such as "population" refer to the total number of individuals or items from which a sample may be drawn, "census" indicates a comprehensive data collection from every member of the population, and "extrapolation" pertains to making predictions or generalizations about a population based on sample data. However, the focus of the question is specifically on the act of selecting a part of the population, making "sampling" the correct and most relevant term.