SAMPLING

A method by which some

units/items of a given
population/occurrence
are selected as
representatives of the
entire population.

Term used in Sampling

Population
Total number of
units/people/ occurrences
under study.

Element
Individual member/unit
of population

Sample frame
A known list of elements from
which the sample is actually
drawn.

Sample
Representative part of the
whole/population under
study.
Subset of the population that
represents the entire
population.
They have similar characteristics of
population.

Subject
Individual member of sample.

The Sampling Design Process

Define the
Population
Determine the Sampling Frame

Select Sampling Technique(s)

Determine the Sample Size
Execute the Sampling Process

Why sampling?
a.

Reduces costs, labour and time

b.

Quality Management/Supervision

c.

Accuracy and Reliability of Results

d.

Sampling may be the only way

(bulbs)

Deming argues that the quality of study is

often better with sampling than with
census.
Further he says that it is good to

Sampling Methods
Probability:
In which each and every member of the
population gets equal/non zero chance to become
the part of the sample.
Used when we know our elements
OR
population frame

Non probability:
In which every member/unit
from the population does not
get equal chance of being
selected in the sample.

Used when we do not know our elements

OR
population frame

Sampling
Probability

Non Probability
quota

Simple Random

cluster

stratified

snowball
judgment

systematic
nonsystematic

convenience

Probability sampling methods

Random Sampling Method

It is divided in to :
A. Systematic and
B. Non systematic

Systematic Random Sampling:

In which an initial starting point is selected
by a random process and than every nth
number is selected.

Example:
If we want to have a sample size
of 50 houses from the population
of 500, then we can have sample
from every 10th house.

Simple Random Sampling

This implies that every number is
selected independently of every
other element.
This method is equivalent to a lottery
system.

Stratified Sampling
Method

A probability sampling technique that

uses two step process to partition into
subpopulation or strata .
Divide sampling frame into
homogeneous subgroups (strata) e.g.
age-group, occupation etc.
Draw random sample in each strata.
Used for large population without distance e.g Study of
Students of Diff Departments of Karachi University.

Steps Involved in Stratified Sampling

1. Divide the population into stratas or groups.

2. Identify the population in each strata.
3. Select the number of respondents either
proportionately or disproportionately.
4. Select final respondents by applying simple
random sampling method

Selecting Numbers of Respondents by

Proportionate ( Size )
Larger the size of the group the more we select,
the smaller the size of strata the less we select.
Strata-1

Male 60 10% = 6

100 students: 10%

Total Population

Strata-2

Female 10% = 4
40

Cluster Sampling
Same as stratified, but used when
the population is large and
dispersed, e.g study of Faculty
Members in Universities of
Pakistan or study of the farmers
of Pakistan who are cultivating
wheat.

Cluster Sampling
Faculty Members in Pak Universities

Punjab

Male Female

Sindh

Male

Female

NWFP

Balochistan

Male Female Male Female

SeniorJuniorQualified
Non qualified

Non probability Sampling.

Each and every member from the population

does not get the equal chance of being
selected in the sample.

Convenience
Here the samples are drawn on the
convenience of the researcher.
According to most convenient
location, time, etc. respondents are
selected.
Convenience sampling may
misrepresent the population.

Judgment
In judgment sampling
researcher uses his/ her own
educated guess or judgment to
identify who will be in the
sample.

Snow ball
It is commonly used when it is difficult to
identify members of the desired population.
Make contact with one or two respondents in
the population. Ask these respondents to
identify further new respondents and so on.
And this process of obtaining data by initial
respondent , and then from referral to referral is
called as snow ball.

Quota
The quota sample establishes a specific
quota or percentage for various types of
individuals to be interviewed.
This can be included in prob and non
prob sampling.

Quota sampling may be viewed as two-stage restricted

judgmental sampling.
The first stage consists of developing control categories, or
quotas, of population elements (male and female).
In the second stage, sample elements are selected based on
convenience or judgment (if it is non prob sampling).
Population Composition
Sample
Control Characteristic Number
Male
600
Female
400
____
1000

Percentage
60
40
____
100

200
120
80
____
200

Strength and weakness of sampling

techniques
strength

weakness

Least expensive, least

time consuming, most
convenient

Selection biasness,
sample is not
representative of (P)

Judgmental

Low cost, convenient ,

less time consuming

Doesnt allow
generalization, subjective
instead of objective

Quota

Sample can be controlled

from certain
characteristics.

Selection bias, no
assurance of
representative.

Can estimate rare

characteristics

Time consuming

Convenience

Snow Ball

Strength and weakness of sampling

techniques

Simple

Random

Strength

Weakness

Easily understood, results

are projectable

Difficult to construct
sampling frame,
expensive, lower
precision, no assurance
of representative

Can increase representative Can decrease

ness, easier to implement,
representative
than Srs, Sampling frame
not necessary.

Includes all important

Systematic subpopulation, precision.

Difficult to select relevant

stratification variable,
expensive,not feasible to
verify many variables.

Stratified Cost effective ,

Low statistical efficiency

easy implement

Sample Size:
Factors to determine sample
size
1. Cost
2. Time
3. Importance of decision
4. Reliability requirements
5. Population size
6. Nature of the problem
7. Diversity of population

Sample size:
It is believed that larger the sample
size, greater the extent of the
reliability of data.
The size of sample depends on:
- The characteristics of population
- the type of info required
- The cost involved etc

Roscoe (1975) proposes the following rule of

thumb:
i.

Sample size larger than 30 and less than 500

are appropriate for most of the research.

ii.

Having a sample size of 5000 is not

necessarily better than having a sample size
of 500.

iii.

In UK, national surveys of house wives

buying habits, a sample size of 2000 was
used and same done in Europe.

Example:
In UK, more than 10 mln ballots were
mailed, of which 3 million were
returned. Of these, 41% supported
Theature and 55% favored
opponent .
But in actual Theature won.

Sample Sizes Used in Research

Studies

Type I and type II Error

If we have the sample size too small,
the sampling error might be so large
(hypotheses which is actually true will
be rejected) It is called type II error.
The other error the researcher makes is
to accept the hypothesis, when it is
actually false. This is known as type II
error.

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