Chapter Four

Sampling and Sampling Techniques

 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
 Population
• The entire group of individuals is called
the population.
• For example, a researcher may be interested in
the relation between class size (variable 1) and
academic performance (variable 2) for the
population of third-grade children.
 Sample
• Usually populations are so large that a
researcher cannot examine the entire
group.
• Therefore, a sample is selected to
represent the population in a research
study.
• The goal is to use the results obtained from
the sample to help answer questions about
the population.
 Census and Sample Survey
• A census study occurs if the entire population
is very small
• Census survey- a statistical method that
studies all the units or members of a
population.
• The entire population are included in the study
• In a census sample data is gathered from every
member of the population.
• Sample survey-a statistical method
that studies only a representative
group of the population, and not all
its members.
–This representative group which
contains some units from the
whole population is called the
sample.
 Why Sampling?
• The population of interest is usually too large to
attempt to survey all of its members.
• A carefully chosen sample can be used to
represent the population.
• Why sample?
– Resources (time, money) and workload
– Gives results with known accuracy that can be
calculated mathematically
– The sample reflects the characteristics of the
population from which it is drawn.
 Terminology
Used in Sample Surveys
• An element is the entity on which data are
collected.
• A population is the collection of all elements
of interest.
• Sampling Frame a list of elements from which
the sample may be drawn
• A sample is a subset of the larger population
– is a collection of elements drawn from a sampling
frame.
• The target population is the population we
want to make inferences about.
• The sampled population is the population from
which the sample is actually selected.
• These two populations are not always the
same.
• If inferences from a sample are to be valid, the
sampled population must be representative of
the target population.
 Steps in Sampling Design

• While developing a sample design, the

researcher must pay attention to the
following points.
• Define the universe
• Sampling Unit
• Source list
• Size of sample
• Parameters of interest
• Budgetary constraint
• Sampling procedure
 Type of universe:
• The first step in developing any sample design is to
define the universe.
• The universe can be finite or infinite.
• In a finite universe, the number of items is certain.
• Examples can be the population of a city, the
number of workers in a factory, etc.
• In case of an infinite universe, the number of items
is infinite.
• Examples for an infinite universe can be the
number of stars in the sky, etc.
 Sampling Unit:
• A decision has to be taken
concerning a sampling unit before
selecting sample.
• Sampling unit may be a geographical
one such as district, Kebelle, village,
etc., or a social unit such as family,
school, etc., or it may be an
individual.
 Source list
• It is also known as sampling frame from which
sample is to be drawn.
• It contains the names of all items of a universe
(for finite universe).
• A source list should be comprehensive, correct,
reliable and appropriate.
• It is extremely important for the source list to
be as representative of the population as
possible.
 Size of sample:
• This refers to the number of items to be
selected from the universe to constitute a
sample.
• The size of sample should neither be
excessively large, nor too small.
• It should be optimum.
 Sampling procedure
• Finally, the researcher must decide the type of
sample he will use.
• He must decide about the technique to be
used in selecting the items for the sample.
• There are several sample designs out of which
the researcher must choose one for his study.
• Obviously, he must select that design which,
for a given sample size and for a given cost,
has a smaller sampling error.
 Types of Sample Design

• Sample designs are basically of two types

• Probability sampling
• Non-probability sampling
 Probability sampling

• 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 Samples: each member of the
population has a known non-zero probability of
being selected
– Probability sampling is based on the concept of
random selection, whereas
– Methods include random sampling, systematic
sampling, and stratified sampling.
• . When every element in the population does
have the same probability of selection, this is
known as an 'equal probability of selection'
(EPS) design.
• Such designs are also referred to as 'self-
weighting' because all sampled units are given
the same weight.
 Types of Probability sampling

• Probability (Random) Samples

• Simple random sample
–Systematic random sample
–Stratified random sample
–Cluster sample
 Simple random sample

• 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.
 Systematic sampling
• relies on arranging the target population according to
some ordering scheme and then selecting elements at
regular intervals through that ordered list.
• Systematic sampling involves a random start and then
proceeds with the selection of every kth element from
then onwards. In this case, k=(population size/sample
size).
• It is important that the starting point is not
automatically the first in the list, but is instead
randomly chosen from within the first to the kth
element in the 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').
 STRATIFIED SAMPLING
• Where population embraces a number of distinct
categories, the frame can be organized into separate
"strata." Each stratum is then sampled as an
independent sub-population, out of which individual
elements can be randomly selected.
• Every unit in a stratum has same chance of being
selected.
• Using same sampling fraction for all strata ensures
proportionate representation in the sample.
• Adequate representation of minority subgroups of
interest can be ensured by stratification & varying
sampling fraction between strata as required.
 Cluster sampling
• Cluster sampling is an example of 'two-stage
sampling' .
• First stage a sample of areas is chosen;
• Second stage a sample of respondents within
those areas is selected.
• Population divided into clusters of
homogeneous units, usually based on
geographical contiguity.
• Sampling units are groups rather than
individuals.
• A sample of such clusters is then selected.
• All units from the selected clusters are studied.
 Difference Between Strata and
Clusters
• Although strata and clusters are both non-
overlapping subsets of the population, they
differ in several ways.
• All strata are represented in the sample; but
only a subset of clusters are in the sample.
• With stratified sampling, the best survey
results occur when elements within strata are
internally homogeneous. However, with
cluster sampling, the best results occur when
elements within clusters are internally
heterogeneous
 Non-probability
Sampling Techniques

•Is a non-random selection.

•Members are selected from the
population in some nonrandom
manner
•Non-probability sampling procedures
provide only a weak basis for
generalization.
 Non-probability……….

• In reality, the conclusions drawn from a study

of a non-probability sample are limited to that
sample and cannot be used for further
generalization.
• In this type of sampling, items for the sample
are selected deliberately by the researcher; his
choice concerning the items remains supreme.
• Thus the judgment of the organizers of the
study plays an important part in this sampling
design.
 Types of
Non-probability sampling

• Some of the major non-probability

sampling techniques are the following:
– Convenience sampling,
– Judgment sampling/purposive
– Quota sampling, and
– Snowball sampling
Judgment (purposive) sampling
• The researcher uses his judgment to
select people that he feels are
representative of the population to have a
particular expertise or knowledge which
makes them suitable.
• A knowledgeable person selects sampling
units that he/she feels are most
representative of the population.
 Judgment Sampling……..

– The quality of the result is dependent

on the judgment of the person selecting
the sample.
– Generally, no statistical statement
should be made about the precision of
the result.
Convenience (accidental) sampling
• The most convenience population is chosen,
which may be the researchers friends, work
colleagues or students from a nearby college.
• Convenience Sampling Obtaining the people
who are most conveniently ( readily) available
• This method is often used to save time and
resources.
• The units included in the sample are chosen
because of accessibility.
 Quota sampling
• Is the nonprobability equivalent of
stratified sampling. (i.e. based on age,
gender, etc).
– First identify the stratums and their
proportions as they are represented in
the population
– Then convenience or judgment sampling
is used to select the required number of
subjects from each stratum.
 Snowball sampling
• Is a special nonprobability method used
when the desired sample characteristic is
rare.
• Snowball Sampling Initial members are
selected
• Additional members are selected based on
information provided by the initial
participants
• This technique relies on referrals from initial
subjects to generate additional subjects.
End of Chapter Five