Sampling Techniques

When you conduct research about a group of people, it’s rarely possible to collect data
from every person in that group. Instead, you select a sample. The sample is the group
of individuals who will actually participate in the research.

To draw valid conclusions from your results, you have to carefully decide how you will
select a sample that is representative of the group as a whole. There are two types of
sampling methods:

 Probability sampling involves random selection, allowing you to make statistical

inferences about the whole group.
 Non-probability sampling involves non-random selection based on
convenience or other criteria, allowing you to easily collect initial data.

You should clearly explain how you selected your sample in the methodology section of
your paper or thesis.

Sampling Techniques
Sampling helps a lot in research. It is one of the most important
factors which determine the accuracy of your research/survey
result. If anything goes wrong with your sample then it will be
directly reflected in the final result. There are lot of techniques
which help us to gather sample depending upon the need and
situation. This blog post tries to explain some of those techniques.

To start with, let’s have a look on some basic terminology:

●Population - The population is the entire group that you want to draw

conclusions about.

●Sample - The sample is the specific group of individuals that you will collect data
from.

●Sampling - The process of selecting a sample is known as

sampling.

Population is the collection of the elements which has some or the

other characteristic in common. Number of elements in the
population is the size of the population. The population can be defined in
terms of geographical location, age, income, and many other characteristics.
Sample is the subset of the population. The process of selecting a
sample is known as sampling. The number of elements in the
sample is the sample size wherein the number of individuals in your sample
depends on the size of the population, and on how precisely you want the results to
represent the population as a whole.

There are lot of sampling techniques which are grouped into two
categories as

 Probability Sampling

 Non- Probability Sampling

Probability Sampling

Probability sampling means that every member of the population has a chance of being
selected. If you want to produce results that are representative of the whole population, you
need to use a probability sampling technique.

This Sampling technique uses randomization to make sure that

every element of the population gets an equal chance to be part of
the selected sample. It’s alternatively known as random sampling.

●Simple Random Sampling

●Stratified sampling
●Systematic sampling

●Cluster Sampling

●Multi stage Sampling

Probability sampling methods

Probability sampling means that every member of the population has a chance of being
selected. If you want to produce results that are representative of the whole population,
you need to use a probability sampling technique.

There are four main types of probability sample.

1. Simple random sampling

In a simple random sample, every element or member of the population has an equal
chance of being selected. Your sampling frame should include the whole population.

To conduct this type of sampling, you can use tools like random number generators or
other techniques that are based entirely on chance.
Example

You want to select a simple random sample of 100 employees of Company X. You
assign a number to every employee in the company database from 1 to 1000, and use a
random number generator to select 100 numbers.

2. Systematic sampling
Systematic sampling is similar to simple random sampling, but it is usually slightly
easier to conduct. Every member of the population is listed with a number, but instead
of randomly generating numbers, individuals are chosen at regular intervals.
Example

All employees of the company are listed in alphabetical order. From the first 10
numbers, you randomly select a starting point: number 6. From number 6 onwards,
every 10th person on the list is selected (6, 16, 26, 36, and so on), and you end up with
a sample of 100 people.
If you use this technique, it is important to make sure that there is no hidden pattern in
the list that might skew the sample. For example, if the HR database groups employees
by team, and team members are listed in order of seniority, there is a risk that your
interval might skip over people in junior roles, resulting in a sample that is skewed
towards senior employees.

3. Stratified sampling
This sampling method is appropriate when the population has mixed characteristics,
and you want to ensure that every characteristic is proportionally represented in the
sample.

You divide the population into subgroups (called strata) based on the relevant
characteristic (e.g. gender, age range, income bracket, job role).

From the overall proportions of the population, you calculate how many people should
be sampled from each subgroup. Then you use random or systematic sampling to
select a sample from each subgroup.
Example

The company has 800 female employees and 200 male employees. You want to ensure
that the sample reflects the gender balance of the company, so you sort the population
into two strata based on gender. Then you use random sampling on each group,
selecting 80 women and 20 men, which gives you a representative sample of 100
people.

4. Cluster sampling
Cluster sampling also involves dividing the population into subgroups, but each
subgroup should have similar characteristics to the whole sample. Instead of sampling
individuals from each subgroup, you randomly select entire subgroups.

If it is practically possible, you might include every individual from each sampled cluster.
If the clusters themselves are large, you can also sample individuals from within each
cluster using one of the techniques above.

This method is good for dealing with large and dispersed populations, but there is more
risk of error in the sample, as there could be substantial differences between clusters.
It’s difficult to guarantee that the sampled clusters are really representative of the whole
population.
Example

The company has offices in 10 cities across the country (all with roughly the same
number of employees in similar roles). You don’t have the capacity to travel to every
office to collect your data, so you use random sampling to select 3 offices – these are
your clusters.

Non-probability sampling methods

In a non-probability sample, individuals are selected based on non-random criteria, and
not every individual has a chance of being included. This type of sample is easier and
cheaper to access, but you can’t use it to make valid statistical inferences about the
whole population.

Non-probability sampling techniques are often appropriate for exploratory

and qualitative research. In these types of research, the aim is not to test
a hypothesis about a broad population, but to develop an initial understanding of a small
or under-researched population.

Convenience sampling
A convenience sample simply includes the individuals who happen to be most
accessible to the researcher.

This is an easy and inexpensive way to gather initial data, but there is no way to tell if
the sample is representative of the population, so it can’t produce generalizable results.
Example

You are researching opinions about student support services in your university, so after
each of your classes, you ask your fellow students to complete a survey on the topic.
This is a convenient way to gather data, but as you only surveyed students taking the
same classes as you at the same level, the sample is not representative of all the
students at your university.

2. Voluntary response sampling

Similar to a convenience sample, a voluntary response sample is mainly based on ease
of access. Instead of the researcher choosing participants and directly contacting them,
people volunteer themselves (e.g. by responding to a public online survey).

Voluntary response samples are always at least somewhat biased, as some people will
inherently be more likely to volunteer than others.
Example
You send out the survey to all students at your university and a lot of students decide to
complete it. This can certainly give you some insight into the topic, but the people who
responded are more likely to be those who have strong opinions about the student
support services, so you can’t be sure that their opinions are representative of all
students.

3. Purposive sampling
This type of sampling involves the researcher using their judgement to select a sample
that is most useful to the purposes of the research.

It is often used in qualitative research, where the researcher wants to gain detailed
knowledge about a specific phenomenon rather than make statistical inferences. An
effective purposive sample must have clear criteria and rationale for inclusion.
Example

You want to know more about the opinions and experiences of disabled students at
your university, so you purposefully select a number of students with different support
needs in order to gather a varied range of data on their experiences with student
services.

4. Snowball sampling
If the population is hard to access, snowball sampling can be used to recruit participants
via other participants. The number of people you have access to “snowballs” as you get
in contact with more people.
Example

You are researching experiences of homelessness in your city. Since there is no list of
all homeless people in the city, probability sampling isn’t possible. You meet one person
who agrees to participate in the research, and she puts you in contact with other
homeless people that she knows in the area.
 1. Simple Random Sampling: Every element has an equal
chance of getting selected to be the part sample. It is used
when we don’t have any kind of prior information about the
target population.

For example: Random selection of 20 students from class of 50

student. Each student has equal chance of getting selected. Here
probability of selection is 1/50

Single Random Sampling

2. Stratified Sampling

This technique divides the elements of the population into small

subgroups (strata) based on the similarity in such a way that the
elements within the group are homogeneous and heterogeneous
among the other subgroups formed. And then the elements are
randomly selected from each of these strata. We need to have prior
information about the population to create subgroups.

Stratified Sampling

3. Cluster Sampling

Our entire population is divided into clusters or sections and then

the clusters are randomly selected. All the elements of the cluster
are used for sampling. Clusters are identified using details such as
age, sex, location etc.

Cluster sampling can be done in following ways:

· Single Stage Cluster Sampling = Entire cluster is selected

randomly for sampling.

Single Stage Cluster Sampling

· Two Stage Cluster Sampling = Here first we randomly select

clusters and then from those selected clusters we randomly select
elements for sampling
Two Stage Cluster Sampling

4. Systematic Clustering

Here the selection of elements is systematic and not random

except the first element. Elements of a sample are chosen at
regular intervals of population. All the elements are put together
in a sequence first where each element has the equal chance of
being selected.

For a sample of size n, we divide our population of size N into

subgroups of k elements.

We select our first element randomly from the first subgroup of k

elements.

To select other elements of sample, perform following:

We know number of elements in each group is k i.e N/n

So if our first element is n1 then

Second element is n1+k i.e n2

Third element n2+k i.e n3 and so on..

Taking an example of N=20, n=5

No of elements in each of the subgroups is N/n i.e 20/5 =4= k

Now, randomly select first element from the first subgroup.

If we select n1= 3

n2 = n1+k = 3+4 = 7

n3 = n2+k = 7+4 = 11

Systematic Clustering

5. Multi-Stage Sampling

It is the combination of one or more methods described above.

Population is divided into multiple clusters and then these clusters

are further divided and grouped into various sub groups (strata)
based on similarity. One or more clusters can be randomly
selected from each stratum. This process continues until the
cluster can’t be divided anymore. For example country can be
divided into states, cities, urban and rural and all the areas with
similar characteristics can be merged together to form a strata.

Multi-Stage Sampling

Non-Probability Sampling

It does not rely on randomization. This technique is more reliant

on the researcher’s ability to select elements for a sample.
Outcome of sampling might be biased and makes difficult for all
the elements of population to be part of the sample equally. This
type of sampling is also known as non-random sampling.
●Convenience Sampling

●Purposive Sampling

●Quota Sampling

●Referral /Snowball Sampling

Convenience Sampling

Here the samples are selected based on the availability. This

method is used when the availability of sample is rare and also
costly. So based on the convenience samples are selected.

For example: Researchers prefer this during the initial stages of

survey research, as it’s quick and easy to deliver results.

Purposive Sampling

This is based on the intention or the purpose of study. Only those

elements will be selected from the population which suits the best
for the purpose of our study.

For Example: If we want to understand the thought process of

the people who are interested in pursuing master’s degree then the
selection criteria would be “Are you interested for Masters in..?”

All the people who respond with a “No” will be excluded from our
sample.
Quota Sampling

This type of sampling depends of some pre-set standard. It selects

the representative sample from the population. Proportion of
characteristics/ trait in sample should be same as population.
Elements are selected until exact proportions of certain types of
data is obtained or sufficient data in different categories is
collected.

For example: If our population has 45% females and 55% males
then our sample should reflect the same percentage of males and
females.

Referral /Snowball Sampling

This technique is used in the situations where the population is

completely unknown and rare.

Therefore we will take the help from the first element which we
select for the population and ask him to recommend other
elements who will fit the description of the sample needed.

So this referral technique goes on, increasing the size of

population like a snowball.
Referral/Snowball Sampling

For example: It’s used in situations of highly sensitive topics like

HIV Aids where people will not openly discuss and participate in
surveys to share information about HIV Aids.

Not all the victims will respond to the questions asked so

researchers can contact people they know or volunteers to get in
touch with the victims and collect information

Helps in situations where we do not have the access to sufficient

people with the characteristics we are seeking. It starts with
finding people to study.

Hope now you all have a good idea about sampling and it’s
techniques.

Thanks for listening!

What are sampling methods?

In a statistical study, sampling methods refer to how we select members from
the population to be in the study.

If a sample isn't randomly selected, it will probably be biased in some way

and the data may not be representative of the population.

There are many ways to select a sample—some good and some bad.

Bad ways to sample

Convenience sample: The researcher chooses a sample that is readily
available in some non-random way.

Example—A researcher polls people as they walk by on the street.

Why it's probably biased: The location and time of day and other factors may
produce a biased sample of people.

Voluntary response sample: The researcher puts out a request for members

of a population to join the sample, and people decide whether or not to be in
the sample.

Example—A TV show host asks his viewers to visit his website and respond
to an online poll.

Why it's probably biased: People who take the time to respond tend to have
similarly strong opinions compared to the rest of the population.
Instructions: Match each of the following situations
below with its proper type of sampling.

●Non-Probability Sampling ●Probability Sampling

Convenience Sampling Simple Random Sampling

Voluntary Response Sampling Stratified Sampling

Purposive Sampling Systematic Sampling

Quota Sampling Cluster Sampling

Snowball Sampling Multi-Stage Sampling

________________ 1. A restaurant leaves comment cards on

all of its tables and encourages customers to participate in a brief
survey to learn about their overall experience.

_____________________ 2. A quality control worker at a factory

selects the first 10 items she sees as her sample for the day.

_____________________ 3. A teacher puts students' names in a

hat and chooses without looking to get a sample of students.

_____________________ 4. A principal orders t-shirts and wants

to check some of them to make sure they were printed properly. She
randomly selects 2 of the 10 boxes of shirts and checks every shirt in
those 2 boxes.

_____________________ 5. A school chooses 3 randomly selected

athletes from each of its sports teams to participate in a survey about
athletics at the school.

_____________________ 6. While students are lined up for school

pictures, a teacher passes out a survey to every 10th student.

_____________________7. The researcher wants to study beggars.

He knows the three areas in the city where the beggars are found in
abundance. He will visit only these three areas and interview beggars
of his choice and convenience.

_____________________ 8. An interviewer may be told to sample

50 females between the age of 45 and 60.

_____________________ 9. Meeting a homeless person,

interviewing that person, and then asking him/her to introduce you to
other homeless people you might interview.
_____________________ 10. A national polling service may
stratify the country by geographical regions, select a random sample
of cities from each region, and then interview a cluster of residents in
each city.
 1. While students are lined up for school pictures, a teacher passes out a
survey to every 10th student.

2. A school chooses 3 randomly selected athletes from each of its sports

teams to participate in a survey about athletics at the school.

3. Each student at a school has a student identification number.

Counselors have a computer generate 50 random identification
numbers and those students are asked to take a survey.

Explanation: This is voluntary response sampling because the

restaurant asks all customers to respond, but the customers
themselves choose whether or not to be in the sample.
Explanation: This is convenience sampling because the
employee is choosing a sample that is readily available but not
necessarily random.

Good ways to sample

Simple random sample: Every member and set of members has an equal
chance of being included in the sample. Technology, random number
generators, or some other sort of chance process is needed to get a simple
random sample.

Example—A teachers puts students' names in a hat and chooses without

looking to get a sample of students.

Why it's good: Random samples are usually fairly representative since they
don't favor certain members.

Stratified random sample: The population is first split into groups. The

overall sample consists of some members from every group. The members
from each group are chosen randomly.
Example—A student council surveys 100100100 students by getting random
samples of 252525 freshmen, 252525 sophomores, 252525 juniors,
and 252525 seniors.

Why it's good: A stratified sample guarantees that members from each group
will be represented in the sample, so this sampling method is good when we
want some members from every group.

Cluster random sample: The population is first split into groups. The

overall sample consists of every member from some of the groups. The
groups are selected at random.

Example—An airline company wants to survey its customers one day, so

they randomly select 555 flights that day and survey every passenger on
those flights.

Why it's good: A cluster sample gets every member from some of the groups,
so it's good when each group reflects the population as a whole.

Systematic random sample: Members of the population are put in some

order. A starting point is selected at random, and every n^{\text{th}}nthn,
start superscript, start text, t, h, end text, end superscript member is selected
to be in the sample.

Example—A principal takes an alphabetized list of student names and picks a

random starting point. Every 20^{\text{th}}20th20, start superscript, start
text, t, h, end text, end superscript student is selected to take a survey.

Problem 1
4. Each student at a school has a student identification number.
Counselors have a computer generate 50 random identification
numbers and those students are asked to take a survey.

a. Simple random sampling

b. Stratified random sampling
c. Cluster random sampling
d. Systematic random sampling

Explanation: This is simple random sampling.

● No groups were used, so this isn't stratified or cluster sampling.

●They didn't pick every n^{\text{th}}nthn, start superscript, start text, t, h,

end text, end superscript student, so this isn't systematic sampling.

●Each student and set of students had the same chance of being in the
sample.

5. A principal orders t-shirts and wants to check some of them to make

sure they were printed properly. She randomly selects 2 of the 10 boxes
of shirts and checks every shirt in those 2 boxes.
What type of sampling is this?

Not every group of shirts had the same chance of being selected, so this isn't
simple random sampling.

She didn't pick every nth, so this isn't systematic sampling.

The shirts were divided into groups (boxes) and the principal sampled every
shirt from some of the groups.

This is cluster random sampling.

6. A school chooses 3 randomly selected athletes from each of its sports

teams to participate in a survey about athletics at the school.

What type of sampling is this?

Not every group of athletes had the same chance of being selected, so this
isn't simple random sampling.

They didn't pick every nth, so this isn't systematic sampling.

The athletes were divided into groups (teams) and some athletes were
selected from each group.

This is stratified random sampling.

7. While students are lined up for school pictures, a teacher passes out a
survey to every 10th student.

What type of sampling is this?

Not every group of students had the same chance of being selected, so this
isn't simple random sampling.

No groups were used, so this isn't stratified or cluster sampling.

The teacher took the students in some order and picked every nth student.

This is systematic random sampling.