SAMPLING

WHAT IS SAMPLING?
Sampling is a method that allows us to get information about the population based on the
statistics from a subset of the population (sample), without having to investigate every
individual.

WHY DO WE NEED SAMPLING?

Sampling is done to draw conclusions about populations from samples, and it enables us to
determine a population’s characteristics by directly observing only a portion (or sample) of the
population.

 Selecting a sample requires less time than selecting every item in a population
 Sample selection is a cost-efficient method
 Analysis of the sample is less cumbersome and more practical than an analysis of the
entire population
STEPS INVOLVED IN SAMPLING

STEP#01 - Identify and define Target Population

STEP#02 - Select Sampling Frame

STEP#03 - Choosing Sample methods

STEP#04 - Determine Sample Size

STEP#05 - Collect the required Data

SAMPLING METHODS
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

PROBABILITY SAMPLING NON-PROBOBILITY SAMPLING

1. Simple Random 1. Convenience

2. Systematic 2. Voluntary response
3. Stratified 3. Judgement
4. Cluster 4. Snowball
5. Quota

Probability Sampling: In
probability sampling, every element of the population has an equal chance of being selected.
Probability sampling gives us the best chance to create a sample that is truly representative of
the population
Non-Probability Sampling: In non-probability sampling, all elements do not have an equal
chance of being selected. Consequently, there is a significant risk of ending up with a non-
representative sample which does not produce generalizable results

TYPES OF PROBABILITY SAMPLING

1. Simple random sampling

In a simple random sample, every member of the population has an equal chance of
being selected. The sampling frame should include the whole population.
To conduct this type of sampling, we can use tools like random number generators or
other techniques that are based entirely on chance.

Example: You want to select a simple random sample of 100 employees of Company X.
You assign a number to every employee in the company database from 1 to 1000, and
use a random number generator to select 100 numbers.

2. Systematic sampling

Systematic sampling is similar to simple random sampling, but it is usually slightly easier
to conduct. Every member of the population is listed with a number, but instead of
randomly generating numbers, individuals are chosen at regular intervals.

Example: All employees of the company are listed in alphabetical order. From the first
10 numbers, you randomly select a starting point: number 6. From number 6 onwards,
every 10th person on the list is selected (6, 16, 26, 36, and so on), and you end up with a
sample of 100 people.
3. Stratified sampling

Stratified sampling involves dividing the population into subpopulations that may differ
in important ways. It allows you draw more precise conclusions by ensuring that every
subgroup is properly represented in the sample.

To use this sampling method, you divide the population into subgroups (called strata)
based on the relevant characteristic (e.g., gender, age range, income bracket, job role).

Based on the overall proportions of the population, you calculate how many people
should be sampled from each subgroup. Then you use random or systematic sampling
to select a sample from each subgroup.

Example: The company has 800 female employees and 200 male employees. You want
to ensure that the sample reflects the gender balance of the company, so you sort the
population into two strata based on gender. Then you use random sampling on each
group, selecting 80 women and 20 men, which gives you a representative sample of 100
people.

4. Cluster sampling

Cluster sampling also involves dividing the population into subgroups, but each
subgroup should have similar characteristics to the whole sample. Instead of sampling
individuals from each subgroup, you randomly select entire subgroups.
 If it is practically possible, you might include every individual from each sampled cluster.
If the clusters themselves are large, you can also sample individuals from within each
cluster using one of the techniques above.

This method is good for dealing with large and dispersed populations, but there is more
risk of error in the sample, as there could be substantial differences between clusters.
It’s difficult to guarantee that the sampled clusters are really representative of the
whole population.

Example: The company has offices in 10 cities across the country (all with roughly the
same number of employees in similar roles). You don’t have the capacity to travel to
every office to collect your data, so you use random sampling to select 3 offices – these
are your clusters.

TYPES OF NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING

1. Convenience sampling

A convenience sample simply includes the individuals who happen to be most accessible
to the researcher.

This is an easy and inexpensive way to gather initial data, but there is no way to tell if
the sample is representative of the population, so it can’t produce generalizable results.

Example: You are researching opinions about student support services in your
university, so after each of your classes, you ask your fellow students to complete a
survey on the topic. This is a convenient way to gather data, but as you only surveyed
students taking the same classes as you at the same level, the sample is not
representative of all the students at your university.
2. Voluntary response sampling

Similar to a convenience sample, a voluntary response sample is mainly based on ease

of access. Instead of the researcher choosing participants and directly contacting them,
people volunteer themselves (e.g., by responding to a public online survey). Voluntary
response samples are always at least somewhat biased, as some people will inherently
be more likely to volunteer than others.

Example: You send out the survey to all students at your university and a lot of students
decide to complete it. This can certainly give you some insight into the topic, but the
people who responded are more likely to be those who have strong opinions about the
student support services, so you can’t be sure that their opinions are representative of
all students.

3. Purposive sampling/Judgement sampling

This type of sampling, also known as judgement sampling, involves the researcher using
their expertise to select a sample that is most useful to the purposes of the research. It
is often used in qualitative research, where the researcher wants to gain detailed
knowledge about a specific phenomenon rather than make statistical inferences, or
where the population is very small and specific. An effective purposive sample must
have clear criteria and rationale for inclusion.
 Example: You want to know more about the opinions and experiences of disabled
students at your university, so you purposefully select a number of students with
different support needs in order to gather a varied range of data on their experiences
with student services.

4. Snowball sampling

If the population is hard to access, snowball sampling can be used to recruit participants
via other participants. The number of people you have access to “snowballs” as you get
in contact with more people.

Example: You are researching experiences of homelessness in your city. Since there is
no list of all homeless people in the city, probability sampling isn’t possible. You meet
one person who agrees to participate in the research, and she puts you in contact with
other homeless people that she knows in the area.

5. Quota sampling

Quota sampling is defined as a non-probability sampling method in which researchers

create a sample involving individuals that represent a population. Researchers choose
these individuals according to specific traits or qualities. They decide and create quotas
so that the market research samples can be useful in collecting data. These samples can
be generalized to the entire population. The final subset will be decided only according
to the interviewer’s or researcher’s knowledge of the population.

Example: a cigarette company wants to find out what age group prefers what brand of
cigarettes in a particular city. He/she applies quotas on the age groups of 21-30, 31-40,
41-50, and 51+. From this information, the researcher gauges the smoking trend among
the population of the city.