样本（Sample）是统计学术语，指从全体中随机抽取的个体。通过对样本的调查，可以了解全体的情况。抽样时抽取样本来进行调查，而普查时则需要调查每一个个体。样本统计学是罗纳德·费雪博士提出的。

样本统计学并不是将整个母体拿去调查，所以必有误差。

样本统计学的内容有统计结果、可信度和误差，不同的统计公司会统计出不同的统计内容。

In statistics and quantitative research methodology, a data sample is a set of data collected and/or selected from a statistical population by a defined procedure. The elements of a sample are known as sample points, sampling units or observations.

Typically, the population is very large, making a census or a complete enumeration of all the values in the population impractical or impossible. The sample usually represents a subset of manageable size. Samples are collected and statistics are calculated from the samples so that one can make inferences or extrapolations from the sample to the population. The data sample may be drawn from a population without replacement, in which case it is a subset of a population; or with replacement, in which case it is a multisubset.