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Resea

Sampling

Definition…

Sampling is the process

of selecting a small number of elements
from a larger defined target group (Population)
of elements such that
the information gathered
from the small group will allow judgments
to be made about the larger groups.
 Definition…

Sampling is the act, process, or

technique of selecting a suitable sample, or

a representative part of a population for the

purpose of determining parameters or

characteristics of the whole population.

Purpose Of Sampling …

To draw conclusions about populations from samples,

which enables us to determine a population`s
characteristics by directly observing only a portion (or
sample) of the population. We obtain a sample rather
than a complete enumeration (a census ) of the
 population for many reasons.

6 MAIN REASONS FOR SAMPLING…

● . Economy
● . Timeliness

● . The large size of many populations

● . Inaccessibility of some of the population

● . Destructiveness of the observation

● . Accuracy

REASONS FOR SAMPLING…

● Economy - taking a sample requires fewer resources than a census.
● Time factor -a sample may provide you with needed information quickly.
● The very large populations -many populations about which
inferences must be made are quite large
● The partly accessible populations- There are some
populations that are so difficult to get access to that only a sample can be used.
● The destructive nature of the observation-sometimes the
very act of observing the desired characteristic of a unit of the population destroys
it for the intended use.
● Accuracy and sampling- A sample may be more accurate than a
census. A sloppily conducted census can provide less reliable information than a
carefully obtained sample.

Important terminologies...
● . Population
● . Element
● . Sample
● . Sampling Unit
● . Subject
Population
The population refers to the entire group of people,
events or things of interest that the researcher
wishes to investigate.
●If an organizational consultant is interested in studying the effects of
a four-day work week on the white-coller workers in a telephone
company in Ireland. Then all white-coller workers in that company
will make up the population.
● If regulators wants to know how patients in nursing homes run by a
company in France, then all the patients in all the nursing homes run
by them will form the population. If however, the regulators are
interested only in one particular nursing home run by that company,
then only the patients in that particular nursing home will make the
population.

Element
An element is the
single member of the population.

If 1000 blue-coller workers in a particular organization are

●

working and an researcher is interested to know the satisfaction

level of these workers then each member (blue-coller) of the
particular organization will be considered as element.
● Census is a count of all elements in the human population.
Sample
A sample is a subset of the population. it comprises some
members from it.

● . If 200 members are drawn/selected from a population of 1000 blue-coller

workers to
study the desire outcome, then 200 members form the sample for the study.

● . If there are 145 patients in a hospital and 40 of them are to be surveyed by the
hospital administrator to assess there level of satisfaction with the treatment
received, then these 40 members will be called the sample.

A sample is thus a subgroup or subset of the population. By studying the sample, the
researcher should be able to draw conclusions that are generalizable to the population
of interest.

Sampling Unit

The sample unit is the element or the set of

elements that is available for selection in some
stage of the sampling process.

Example of sampling units in a multi stage sample are city

 blocks, house hold, and individuals with in the households.

Subject
A subject is a single member of the sample just
as an element is a single member of the
population.

● . If 200 members from the total population of 1000 blue-coller

workers form the sample for the study. Then each blue-coller worker
in the sample is a subject.

●. If there are 145 patients in a hospital and 40 of them are to be

surveyed by the hospital administrator to assess there level of
satisfaction with the treatment received, then each member from
sample of 40 will be called the subject.

Representative of Sampling...�
● Choosing the right sample cannot be overemphasized.
● If we choose the sample in a scientific way, we can be
reasonably sure that sample statistics (Mean, Standard Deviation, (S)
Variation in the sample ) and population parameters (Mean (u), Standard

Deviation, Variation in the sample ) are close to each others. �

Acknowledgments to Uma Sekaran

What is a Good Sample?
● . Accurate: absence of bias
● . Precise estimate: sampling error

Sampling error is any type of bias

that is attributable to mistakes
in either drawing a sample or
determining the sample size.

Sampling Process…

Define the Population

Determine the Sampling Frame

Select Sampling Technique(s)

Determine the Sample Size

Execute the Sampling Process

 Defining Population of Interest…

Population of interest is entirely dependent on

Management Problem, Research Problems, and
Research Design.

Some Bases for Defining Population:

● . Geographic Area (Pakistan, Punjab, Banking sector, Our
Institute etc.)
● . Demographics (Gender, Age, Color, Height etc.)
● . Usage/Lifestyle
● . Awareness

Sampling Frame …

A list of population elements (people, companies,

houses, cities, etc.) from which units to be sampled
can be selected.
●Difficult to get an accurate list.
● Sample frame error occurs when certain

elements of the population are accidentally omitted

 or not included on the list.

Sampling Methods/Techniques

Probability Nonprobabili
Sampling ty
Sampling

Sampling Methods/Techniques/Types

Sampling Techniques
 Nonprobability Probability
Sampling Techniques Sampling Techniques

Convenienc Judgmenta Quota Snowbal

e l Samplin l
Sampling Sampling g Samplin
g

Simple Random Systemati Stratified Cluster Other Sampling

Sampling c Samplin Samplin Techniques
Sampling g g

Probability Sampling Designs

A probability sample is one that gives every member

of the population a known chance of being selected.

All are selected randomly.

● Simple random sampling - anyone
● Systematic sampling

● Stratified sampling - different groups (ages)

● Proportionate

● Cluster sampling - different areas (cities)

Simple Random Sampling

 Simple random sampling is a method of probability
sampling in which every unit has an equal nonzero
chance of being selected

● Each element in the population has a known and equal

probability of selection.
● This implies that every element is selected independently of

every other element.

Systematic Sampling

Systematic Random Sampling is a method of probability

sampling in which the defined target population is ordered and the
sample is selected according to position using a skip interval.
● The sample is chosen by selecting a random starting point and then
picking every ith element in succession from the sampling frame.
● The sampling interval, i, is determined by dividing the population size

N by the sample size n and rounding to the nearest integer.

● For example, there are 100,000 elements in the population and a

sample of 1,000 is desired. In this case the sampling interval, i, is 100.

A random number between 1 and 100 is selected. If, for example, this
number is 23, the sample consists of elements 23, 123, 223, 323, 423,
523, and so on.
Stratified Sampling

Stratified Random Sampling is a method of probability sampling in

which the population is divided into different subgroups and samples
are selected from each

● A two-step process in which the population is partitioned into subpopulations.

● Divide the target population into homogeneous subgroups or strata

●Draw random samples fro each stratum

● Combine the samples from each stratum into a single sample of the target

population
● A major objective of stratified sampling is to increase precision without

increasing cost.

Cluster Sampling

● The target population is first divided into mutually exclusive and collectively
exhaustive subpopulations, or clusters.
● Then a random sample of clusters is selected, based on a probability sampling

technique.
● For each selected cluster, either all the elements are included in the sample

(one-stage) or a sample of elements is drawn probabilistically (two-stage).

● Elements within a cluster should be as heterogeneous as possible, but clusters

themselves should be as homogeneous as possible. Ideally, each cluster should

be a small-scale representation of the population.
● In probability proportionate to size sampling, the clusters are sampled with
 probability proportional to size. In the second stage, the probability of selecting a
sampling unit in a selected cluster varies inversely with the size of the cluster.

Nonprobability Sampling

…Nonprobability sample is an arbitrary

grouping that limits the use of some statistical
tests. It is not selected randomly.

Classifications of Nonprobability Sampling

● Convenience Sampling
● Judgment Sampling

● Quota Sampling

● Snowball Sampling

Convenience Sampling
Convenience sampling attempts to obtain a sample
of convenient elements. Often, respondents are
selected because they happen to be in the right place
at the right time.
 ● Use of students, and members of social
organizations
● Mail intercept interviews without qualifying the

respondents.
● “people on the street” interviews

Judgmental Sampling

Judgmental sampling is a form of convenience

sampling in which the population elements are selected
based on the judgment of the researcher.
● Test markets

● Engineers selected in industrial marketing research

● Expert witnesses used in court

Quota Sampling
Quota sampling may be viewed as two-stage restricted
judgmental sampling.
1. The first stage consists of developing control
categories, or quotas, of population elements.
2. In the second stage, sample elements are
selected based on convenience or judgment.

Population Sample� composition composition�Control

�Characteristic Percentage Percentage Number�Sex� Male 48 48
480� Female 52 52 520� ____ ____ ____� 100 100 1000

Snowball Sampling

In Snowball Sampling, an initial group of

respondents is selected, usually at random.

● After being interviewed, these

respondents are asked to identify others
who belong to the target population of
interest.
● Subsequent respondents are selected
based on the referrals.
Factors to Consider in Sample Design

Research objectives Degree of accuracy

Resources Time frame

Knowledge of Research scope

target population

Determining Sample Size

● How many completed questionnaires do we need to

have a representative sample?
● Generally the larger the better, but that takes more

time and money.

● Answer depends on:

● How different or dispersed the population is.

● Desired level of confidence.

● Desired degree of accuracy.

 Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that using a sample
in research saves mainly on money and time, if a
suitable sampling strategy is used, appropriate
sample size selected and necessary precautions
taken to reduce on sampling and measurement
errors, then a sample should yield valid and
reliable information.