SAMPLING

TECHNIQUES

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 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Learn the reasons for sampling

• Develop an understanding about different sampling

methods

• Distinguish between probability & non probability

sampling

• Discuss the relative advantages & disadvantages of

each sampling methods

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 WHY SAMPLE?

• Can you gather data from the entire population?

• Can you finish your study in a given period of
time considering you have to use the entire
population of your study?
• How can you save money, resources and lessen
your efforts on your study?

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 SAMPLING
• A sample is “a smaller (but hopefully
representative) collection of units from a population
used to determine truths about that population”

• The sampling frame is the list from which the

potential respondents are drawn
• Registrar’s office
• Class rosters

SAMPLING… 4
 POPULATION DEFINITION

• A population can be defined as all people or items

with the characteristic one wishes to understand.
• A population is a collection of data whose
properties are analyzed. The population is
the complete collection to be studied, it
contains all subjects of interest.

SAMPLING… 5
 WHY SAMPLE

• Saves resources (time, money) and

effort/workload

• Gives results with known accuracy that

can be calculated mathematically

SAMPLING… 6
 WHEN MIGHT YOU SAMPLE THE ENTIRE
POPULATION?

• When your population is very small

• When you have extensive resources

• When you don’t expect a very high

response

SAMPLING… 7
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SAMPLE
REPRESENTATIVENESS?
• Sampling procedure

• Sample size

• Participation (response)

8 SAMPLING…
• Probability (Random) Sampling

• Non-Probability Sampling

TYPES OF SAMPLING
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 PROBABILITY SAMPLING

• A probability sampling method is any method of sampling

that utilizes some form of random selection. In order to
have a random selection method, you must set up some
process or procedure that assures that the different units
in your population have equal probabilities of being
chosen. Humans have long practiced various forms of
random selection, such as picking a name out of a hat, or
choosing the short straw. These days, we tend to use
computers as the mechanism for generating random
numbers as the basis for random selection.

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• A probability sampling scheme is one in which
every unit in the population has a chance
(greater than zero) of being selected in the
sample, and this probability can be accurately
determined.

PROBABILITY SAMPLING……. 11
Probability Sampling includes:
• Simple Random Sampling
• Systematic Sampling
• Stratified Random Sampling

PROBABILITY SAMPLING……. 12
 NON PROBABILITY SAMPLING

• A type of unit sampling where it is not known which of

the units will be picked to be sampled, and where some of
the units have a zero probability of being chosen. In
addition, nonresponse effects may turn any probability
design into a nonprobability design if the characteristics of
nonresponse are not well understood, since nonresponse
effectively modifies each element's probability of being
sampled.

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Nonprobability Sampling includes:
• Accidental Sampling
• Quota Sampling
• Purposive Sampling
• Snowball Sampling

NONPROBABILITY SAMPLING

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PROBABILITY SAMPLING

SIMPLE RANDOM
SAMPLING

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 SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING

• In statistics, a simple random sample is a subset of individuals (a

sample) chosen from a larger set (a population). Each individual is
chosen randomly and entirely by chance, such that each individual
has the same probability of being chosen at any stage during the
sampling process, and each subset of k individuals has the same
probability of being chosen for the sample as any other subset of k
individuals.
• Simple random sampling is a basic type of sampling, since it can
be a component of other more complex sampling methods. The
principle of simple random sampling is that every object has the
same probability of being chosen.

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 SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING

• Applicable when population is small, homogeneous &

readily available
• All subsets of the frame are given an equal probability.
Each element of the frame thus has an equal
probability of selection.
• It provides for greatest number of possible samples.
This is done by assigning a number to each unit in the
sampling frame.
• A table of random number or lottery system is used to
determine which units are to be selected.
SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING 17
 WHEN TO USE:

Simple random sampling best suits situations

where not much information is available about
the population and data collection can be
efficiently conducted on randomly distributed
items, or where the cost of sampling is small
enough to make efficiency less important than
simplicity.

SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING 18

Advantages
• Advantages are that it is free of classification error, and it
requires minimum advance knowledge of the population
other than the frame.
• its simplicity also makes it relatively easy to interpret data
collected

Disadvantages
• If sampling frame large, this method impracticable.
• Minority subgroups of interest in population may not be
present in sample in sufficient numbers for study.

SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING 19

PROBABILITY SAMPLING

SYSTEMATIC
SAMPLING

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 SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING

• A method of sampling from a list of the population so

that the sample is made up of every kth member on the
list, after randomly selecting a starting point from 1
to k.
• Systematic sampling relies on arranging the target
population according to some ordering scheme and then
selecting elements at regular intervals through that
ordered list.
• A simple example would be to select every 10th name
from the telephone directory (an 'every 10th' sample,
also referred to as 'sampling with a skip of 10').

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 EXAMPLE
• Consider choosing a systematic sample of 20 members from a
population list numbered from 1 to 836.
• To find k, divide 836 by 20 to get 41.8.
• Rounding gives k = 42.
• Randomly select a number from 1 to 42, say 18.
• Start at the person numbered 18 and then choose every 42nd member
of the list.
• The sample is made up of those numbered:
18, 60, 102, 144, 186, 228, 270, 312, 354, 396, 438, 480, 522, 564,
606, 648, 690, 732, 774, 816
• Sometimes rounding may cause the sample size to be one more or
one less than the desired size.
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ADVANTAGES:
• Sample easy to select
• Suitable sampling frame can be identified easily
• Sample evenly spread over entire reference population

DISADVANTAGES:
• Sample may be biased if hidden periodicity in population
coincides with that of selection.
• Difficult to assess precision of estimate from one survey.

SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING…… 23
PROBABILITY SAMPLING

STRATIFIED
SAMPLING

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 STRATIFIED SAMPLING

• A stratified sample is a probability sampling

technique in which the researcher divides the
entire target population into different subgroups,
or strata, and then randomly selects the final
subjects proportionally from the different strata.

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WHEN TO USE:

• When surveying a large population that is very diverse

• When the researcher wants to highlight specific
subgroups within the population.
• When they want to observe relationships between two or
more subgroups
• When the researchers are interested in rare extremes of a
population

STRATIFIED SAMPLING……
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 ADVANTAGES

• Guarantees better coverage of the

population
• Always achieves greater precision
than simple random sampling
(largely unbiased and accurate)

STRATIFIED SAMPLING……
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 DISADVANTAGES

• It can be difficult to identify appropriate

strata for a study
• It is more complex to organize and analyze
the results

STRATIFIED SAMPLING……
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NONPROBABILTY SAMPLING

ACCIDENTAL
SAMPLING
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 ACCIDENTAL SAMPLING

Sometimes known as grab or opportunity sampling or

convenience or haphazard sampling.

• A type of non-probability sampling which involves the

sample being drawn from that part of the population
which is close to hand. That is a sample population
selected because it is readily available and convenient.

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 The Advantages of this type of sampling are the availability
and the quickness with which data can be gathered…

 The disadvantages are the risk that the sample might not
represent the population as a whole, and it might be biased
by volunteers.

ACCIDENTAL SAMPLING... 31
NONPROBABILTY SAMPLING

QUOTA
SAMPLING

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 DEFINITION

Quota sampling is a non-probability sampling

technique wherein the assembled sample has
the same proportions of individuals as the
entire population with respect to known
characteristics, traits or focused
phenomenon.

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 CREATING A QUOTA SAMPLE

To create a quota sample, there are three steps: 

(1) choosing the relevant stratification and
dividing the population accordingly; 
(2) calculating a quota for each stratum; and 
(3) continuing to invite cases until the quota for
each stratum is met.

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 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
(LIMITATIONS) OF QUOTA SAMPLING

ADVANTAGES
 Quota sampling is particularly useful when you are
unable to obtain a probability sample,
 Quota sampling is much quicker and easier to carry
out because it does not require a sampling frame and
the strict use of random sampling techniques
 The quota sample improves the representation of
particular strata (groups) within the population, as
well as ensuring that these strata are not over-
represented.

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 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
(LIMITATIONS) OF QUOTA SAMPLING

DISADVANTAGES
• In quota sampling, the sample has not been chosen
using random selection, which makes it impossible to
determine the possible sampling error. This can lead
to problems of generalization.
• Quota sampling be biased because not everyone gets
chance of selection

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NONPROBABILTY SAMPLING

SNOWBALL
SAMPLING
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SNOWBALL SAMPLING
Also known as chain sampling, chain-referral
sampling, referral sampling

• Snowball sampling uses a small pool of initial

informants to nominate, through their social networks,
other participants who meet the eligibility criteria and
could potentially contribute to a specific study. The
term "snowball sampling" reflects an analogy to a
snowball increasing in size as it rolls downhill 

SNOWBALL SAMPLING... 38
METHOD:

Draft up a participation program (likely to be subject to

change, but indicative).
1. Approach stakeholders and ask for contacts.
2. Gain contacts and ask them to participate.
3. Community issues groups may emerge that can be
included in the participation program.
4. Continue the snowballing with contacts to gain more
stakeholders if necessary.
5. Ensure a diversity of contacts by widening the profile of
persons involved in the snowballing exercise.

SNOWBALL SAMPLING... 39
WHEN TO USE:
Pre-assumption: The participants are likely to know others who
share the characteristics that makes them eligible for inclusion
in the study.

There are many reasons why an individual may want to use

snowball sampling across any industry, research, job, etc.
Specific to business and marketing, however, snowball sampling
can be used to things such as identify experts in a certain field,
product, manufacturing processes, customer relation methods,
etc

SNOWBALL SAMPLING... 40
ADVANTAGES:
1. Locate hidden populations: It is possible for the surveyors
to include people in the survey that they would not have
known.
2. Locating people of a specific population: There is no lists
or other obvious sources for locating members of the
population of specific interest.
3. The process is cheap, simple and cost-efficient. This
sampling technique needs little planning and fewer workforce
compared to other sampling techniques.

SNOWBALL SAMPLING... 41
DISADVANTAGES:
1. The researcher has little control over the sampling method.
The subjects that the researcher can obtain rely mainly on
the previous subjects that were observed.
2. Representativeness of the sample is not guaranteed. The
researcher has no idea of the true distribution of the
population and of the sample.
3. Sampling bias is also a fear of researchers when using this
sampling technique. Initial subjects tend to nominate
people that they know well. Because of this, it is highly
possible that the subjects share the same traits and
characteristics, thus, it is possible that the sample that the
researcher will obtain is only a small subgroup of the entire
population.

SNOWBALL SAMPLING... 42
THANK YOU!!!

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