SAMPLING

Learning Objectives
 Define basic terms related to sampling.
 Cite the different sampling techniques.
 Describe how each technique is employed.
 Determine the appropriate technique in
specific situation.
 Explain the advantages and
disadvantages, if any, of each technique.
Some Terminologies
Population is the totality of elements from
which data under consideration shall be
obtained.
Sample is a subset of your population by
which you select to be participants in your
study.
Sampling is the process of selecting a
sample in your research area, which will
be a representation of the whole
population.
Sampling
 Sampling is an important feature of all
research. Part of the whole population is
studied and the results are taken to be
accurate reflection of the whole.
 The most important point to remember
about sampling is this:
 The manner in which the sample is drawn
determines to what extent we can generalize
from the findings.
Selecting a Sample
 In order to make generalizations from
samples to population, it is important that
the samples are representative of the
population.

 It should also be remembered that for

some purposes sampling is not required,
especially in situations where the
researcher is not interested in drawing
conclusions on a larger population.
 Another situation where sampling is not an issue
is where the researcher can easily study the
entire group about whom he/she wishes to draw
conclusions.
 Researchers use samples to reduce cost, time
and energy that results from studying large
populations.
 The first step in sample selection is to identify the
population, generally referred to as the defined
population.
 The nature of the population will affect the
sampling procedure used.
Sampling Procedures
 There are two general types of sampling
procedures:

 Non-probability sampling procedures.

 Probability sampling procedures.
 Probability sampling - includes some form of random
selection in choosing the elements. Greater confidence can
be placed in the representativeness of probability samples.
It involves a selection process in which each element in the
population has an equal and independent chance of being
elected.

 Non-probability – the elements that make up the

sample, are selected by nonrandom methods. This type of
sampling is less likely than probability sampling to produce
representative samples. Even though this is true,
researcher can and do use non-probability samples.
Non-Probability Sampling Procedures
 Non-Probability Sampling procedures
include:
 Convenience sampling.
 Quota sampling.
 Purposive sampling.
 Snowball sampling.

 Non- random sampling procedures provide a

weak basis for generalizations.
Convenience Sampling
 This sampling procedure involves using
what is immediately available.

 It chooses the individuals that are easiest

to reach or sampling that is done easy.
People or items are only selected for a
sample if they can be accessed easily and
conveniently.
 This sampling is appropriate if you do not
intend to draw conclusions about the
larger group on the basis of the sample.

 Can be used when unable to access a

wider population, for example due to time
or cost constraints.
 A major disadvantage of convenience
sampling is the sample may not an
accurate representation of the population.

 The findings from this sample are less

definitive.

 It is completely unstructured approach.

Quota Sampling
 In quota sampling, the researcher selects
individuals or groups on the basis of a set
criteria.
 Quotas are useful when a particular group
or characteristics are relatively rare in the
population.
 Like convenience sampling, in quota
sampling it can be risky to draw
conclusions about the larger group.
 The conclusions are strictly limited to the
population being studied.
Purposive Sampling
 Some researchers believe that they can,
using their own judgment or intuition,
select the best people or sample for their
research.
 A technique of choosing the sampling units
from a given population which have a
specific chractertistics.
 With the purposive sampling, only
tentative generalizations may be made.
Snowball Technique
 The snowball technique is used when the
researcher wants to gain access to certain
types of people or groups, but only a few
are known or fit the category and there is
no population list.
 Here the sample is gathered by first
approaching those who are available. They
are asked to refer to those that they know
are of identical nature.
 Snowball sampling is widely used in
qualitative research.
Note
 Finally, it may be suggested that non-
probability sampling should be used with
caution.
 The researcher must be aware of the
limitations of conclusions about the
population based on non- random
sampling procedures.
Random Sampling Procedures
 There are five basic probability sampling
procedures:
1. Simple random sampling.
2. Systematic sampling.
3. Stratified random sampling.
4. Cluster sampling.
5. Multi-stage sampling.
Simple Random Sampling
 A simple random sampling procedure
guarantees that each element (person,
group, university, etc.) in the population
has an equal chance of being selected and
that every possible combination of the
specified number of elements has an equal
chance of selection.
 In order to draw a simple random sample the
researcher must:
1. Identify the population from which the sample
is to be drawn.
2. Enumerate and list each element (or persons,
households, car owners, etc.) in the population.
3. Device a method of selection that ensures that
each element has the same probability of
selection and that each combination of the total
number of the elements has the same
probability of selection.
 Although the mentioned steps are
somewhat laborious and time- consuming
they do provide the most reliable sampling
procedures. The simple random sampling
is the ideal.
Systematic Sampling
 A systematic sampling procedure involves
the selection of every nth case in a list.
 Again the population must be identified.
 The critical step in systematic sampling is
to select the first case randomly.
 A systematic sampling procedure provides
an acceptable approximation of the ideals
of the simple random sampling procedure.
 Selection is done independently of the
researcher’s preferences and prejudices.
 As long as any biases in the ordering of
the list do not occur at the same interval
as the sampling interval, a reasonably
reliable sample will be drawn by this
procedure.
Stratified Random Sampling
 This procedure is basically a type of quota
sampling, where members of each ‘quota
group’ within, or stratum of, the sample
are selected randomly.
 The criterion for identifying quota groups
or strata will be suggested by your
hypothesis.
 A hypothesis comparing male with females
could be studied using a random sample
with quotas of randomly selected males
and females.
Cluster Sampling
 The fact that simple random sampling
becomes tremendously complex and costly
for large and scattered populations.
 These usually involve several stages of
random selections.
 Rather than enumerating the whole population,
the population is divided into segments.
 Then several of the segments are chosen at
random.
 Elements within each segment are then selected
randomly following identification and
enumeration.
 In this way, only the elements in the selected
segment need to be identified and enumerated.
 Cluster sampling procedures have been
devised to provide a reliably random, and
hence representative, sample of a large
population without having to identify and
enumerate the entire population at the
outset.
 In this procedure, only smaller randomly
selected segments (clusters) have to be
identified and enumerated.
Multi-Stage Sampling
 Multi-stage sampling involves selecting a sample
in at least two stages. In the first stage, large
groups or clusters are selected. These clusters
are designed to contain more population units
than are required for the final sample.
 In the second stage, population units are chosen
from selected clusters to derive a final sample. If
more than two stages are used, the process of
choosing population units within clusters
continues until the final sample is achieved.
 The advantages of multi-stage sampling are
convenience, economy and efficiency. Multi-stage
sampling does not require a complete list of
members in the target population, which greatly
reduces sample preparation cost. The list of
members is required only for those clusters used
in the final stage.
 The main disadvantage of multi-stage sampling is
the same as for cluster sampling: lower accuracy
due to higher sampling error.
Choosing a Sampling Procedure
 How do you select a sampling procedure
for your research?
 This largely depends on the population
about which you wish to draw conclusion.
 If the demands of time and expense force
you to examine a subgroup of as larger
population, one of the random sampling
procedures should be used.
 Random sampling procedures are
particularly important in research that
aims to assess attitudes, values or beliefs
of a population.
Summary
 The way in which the research sample is
drawn determines the degree to which you
can generalize from the findings of your
study.
 Only randomly drawn samples ensure that
the sample is likely to be representative of
a larger population
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