What term is used to describe the larger group from which a sample is taken for research purposes?

The term that describes the larger group from which a sample is taken for research purposes is "population." In research, the population encompasses all individuals or instances that meet a certain set of criteria relevant to the study. It serves as the totality from which researchers can make inferences based on the analysis of a smaller sample.

Defining the population is critical for ensuring that the sample accurately represents the broader group, allowing researchers to draw valid conclusions and understand trends or patterns within the larger context. This foundational concept is essential in various fields, such as statistics, social sciences, and market research, where understanding the broader implications of findings is key to effective study outcomes.

In contrast, the other terms describe different concepts in research: a sample refers to the subset of the population selected for study, a subset indicates a portion of any set that may not specifically align with the context of populations and samples in research, and a variable pertains to any characteristic or attribute that can be measured or categorized within the study. Understanding these distinctions highlights the importance of clearly defining the population to achieve reliable and meaningful research results.