1. What are sampling procedures?

It is expensive, time-consuming, and nearly impossible for researchers to gather

data from everyone who belongs to a population that their studies are focusing on. With
that in mind, researchers are advised to get a small portion of a population to participate
in their study – the subset that accurately reflects the characteristics of a larger group is
called a sample. The technique or process of selecting representatives from the target
population for the study in order to make inferences and generalization in relation to
existing theory is called sampling procedure.

2. What are different types of sampling procedure in a qualitative and quantitative

research? (Description and examples)
Sampling procedure encompasses various techniques for quantitative and
qualitative research. For quantitative research, there are two approaches to sampling;
these are probability and nonprobability sampling techniques. In probability sampling
technique, each person in the population has the chance to be selected. It is usually
used when researchers have well-defined and accessible population to where they
wanted to draw out inferences from. Probability sampling technique is then divided into
six categories.
The most basic type of probability sampling is the simple random sampling. In
this process, the researcher makes an exhaustive list of all units in the population, and
assigning numbers to them. For example, the researcher intends to select the 10
percent out of a total population of 2000. Since it is a concept of random sampling,
everyone in that sample has an equal probability of .10 of being selected (200, 2000
= .10). The easiest way to achieve is to draw lots from the numbers assigned to each
member; it could be done through the use of software or manually by shuffling slips of
paper and selecting 200 pieces.
Another type of probability sampling technique is the systematic sampling or also
called as nth name selection technique. After the required sample size has been
calculated, every nth record is selected from a list of population members. For instance,
to randomly select 200 participants, select every 2000/200 = 10th member of the
sampling frame. Systematic sampling compared to random sampling is way more
advantageous because it is simpler and quicker. Its downsides, however, includes not
being entirely random and could also be a subject of bias if the list is not really arranged
in random order.
Yet simple random sampling and systematic sampling do not necessarily ensure
that the sample taken represent equally the elements of the population well. Say for
example, the population has an equal number of females and males, in previous
sampling designs mentioned, there’s no certainty that the sample will also have an equal
number of representatives per gender. That is something that stratified sampling design
is addressing. Stratified sampling divides the population first into subgroups who all
share the same traits, then the researcher will draw equal sample sizes from each
subgroup; therefore improving the accuracy and representativeness of the results by
reducing sampling bias.
The fourth sampling design named as cluster sampling addresses two concerns
in sampling procedure. First, the researchers lack of a good sampling frame for a
geographically dispersed population; second, the high cost to reach a sampled element.
Cluster sampling is a procedure that involves multiple stages and clusters instead of a
single sampling frame. A cluster is a unit that contains final sampling elements but can
be treated temporarily as a sampling element itself. A demonstration of this sampling
design is when a researcher wants to analyze the performance of smartphones across
the Philippines through a survey. They can divide the entire country’s population into
cities (clusters) and select cities with the highest population and also filter those using
mobile devices. Moreover, cluster sampling can be more efficient that simple random
sampling, especially where a study takes place over a wide geographical region.
On the other hand, there are also non-probability sampling designs in
quantitative research. These are quota sampling, convenience sampling, purposive
sampling, snowball, and theoretical sampling. Quota sampling is an attempt to ensure
that various groups are represented by a proportion in the society. In this sampling
technique, a researcher identifies relevant categories of people (e.g., male, female;
under age of 30, over the age of 30) that fill the required traits in the study, then decides
how many to get in each category. In other worlds, the number of people and the traits
established by the researcher in various categories of the sample is fixed.
The next sampling designs that will be discussed are applicable for quantitative
research, but are usually used in qualitative research; these are convenience sampling,
purposive sampling, snowball sampling, and theoretical sampling. In convenience
sampling, the respondents are chosen based on their availability and willingness to
participate - making it the easiest type of sampling design. For instance, asking random
people on the mall about how they would evaluate the services there. The researcher
can easily obtain useful results, but the results may be prone to bias because those who
volunteer to take part may be different from those who choose not to (volunteer bias),
and the sample may not be representative of other characteristics. Non-probability
sampling also has purposive sampling. It refers to recruiting participants based on the
judgment or interest of the researcher relating to the study. One situation could be
intentionally choosing IT students because the research is about how they would assess
the importance of digital tools in their academics. Furthermore, theoretical sampling
comes from grounded theory, and it functions by collecting data, and deciding what data
to collect based on the theory and categories that emerge from the previous data.
Theoretical sampling is unique because there is no pre-set notion of who to recruit, or
any predetermined groups of people to compare. Lastly, if the researcher wants to
recruit very specific types of people and investigate sensitive topics, snowball sampling
is the go-to design. In this technique, existing subjects are asked to nominate further
subjects known to them, so the sample increases in size like a rolling snowball, it could
also be compared to forming a network of people. For instance, if the research topic is
controversial, the discreet way to recruit participant is through snowball sampling or
referral from the previous respondent.
In conclusion, choosing the right sampling design is essential to procure
reliable and fruitful results. It is something that must not be taken lightly to avoid
endangering the essence of the research paper.