Sample Size and Sampling

Design in Research
Eduardo Edu C. Cornillez Jr.
Course Instructor, EVSU-Tanauan Campus
Example of a research question:
Is there a relationship between accounting students' academic
performance in mathematics and their academic performance in
accounting Education 113?

Population, N = 800
Sample size, n = ?

How will you determine/calculate the sample size that will

appropriately represent the population?
 What are the factors that must be taken into account when
calculating sample size?
STRATEGIES FOR DETERMINING SAMPLE SIZE
1. Census or Complete Enumeration (Small Population)
2. Through Literature or Published Tables of Sample Size selection
3. Adopting the Sample Size of similar Study.
4. Sample Size Determination Formula
- Level of Confidence
- Degree of Variability of Subjects
- Margin of Precision or Error
5. Sample Size Calculator/Software
6. Sample size recommendation based on somewhat with authority.
Through Literature or Existing Table of Sample Size selection

Krejcie and Morgan (1970)

Sample Size Computation Criteria

Level of Confidence
Level of Precision or Margin of Error (Sampling error)
Degree of Variability of Subjects
Sample Size Determination Formula
Level of Confidence
The key idea encompassed in the Central Limit Theorem is that when a
population is repeatedly sampled, the average value of the attribute
obtained by those samples is equal to the true population value.
*Widely Used Confidence Level
90%, 95%, & 99%
Example: Using a 95%, what does it mean?

95 out of 100 samples will have the true population value within the
range of precision specified.
Margin of Precision or Error
- It is the range which the true value of the population is
estimated to be. This range is often presented in percentage form (e.g.
± 5%).

Example. If the researcher finds that 60% of the sample students

adopted the synchronous mode of classes with a ±𝟓% margin of error.
It only tells us that between 55% and 65% in the population have
adopted the modality.
Degree of Variability of attributes of Being Measured
refers to the distribution of attributes in the population. The more
heterogeneous a population, the larger the sample size required to
obtain a given level of precision. The less variable (more
homogeneous) a population, the smaller the sample size.

*Commonly used percent of variability is: 20%, 80%, 50%

Sample Size Determination Formula for Finite
Population (Cochran, 1977)
where;

N = population size
e = margin of error
p = estimated proportion of the
attributes
q=1–p
Z = is the abscissa of the normal curve that cuts off an area α at the tails
(1 - α equals the desired confidence level, e.g., 95%)
95%; Z = 1.96 90%; Z = 1.645
99%; Z = 2.576
Is there a significant relationship between study habit and academic
performance of the teacher education students?
Population, N = 800
Sample size, n = ?
- Confidence Level: 95%; e = 5%; p = 0.50; q = 0.50; Z = 1.96
 1.96   0.50  0.50 
2

384.16 n0   384.16
n  254.75  260
 0.05 
2

1
 384.16  1
800 259.
Yamane Formula (Yamane, 1967)
where;
n = computed sample size
N = Population size
e = level of precision/margin
of error

Note: Based on the derivation of the

formula:
95% confidence level and p=0.5
are assumed.
Sample Size Calculator/Software

http://www.raosoft.com/samplesize.html
Sample Size Calculator/Software

https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/sample-size-calculator/
 Sampling
 Sampling is a process of selecting a sample from a population.
 Sampling is the process of choosing individual members or a portion of
the population in order to draw statistical conclusions and estimate the
characteristics of the entire population.

Two General Methods of Sampling

 Probability sampling involves random selection, allowing you to make
strong statistical inferences about the whole group.

 Non-probability sampling involves non-random selection based on

convenience or other criteria, allowing you to easily collect data.
Probability Sampling
Simple Random Sampling
In a simple random sample, each member/subject of the
target population has equal chance of being selected or chosen to
be part of the target number of samples. Your sampling frame
(Complete lists of individual or elements—depends on the subject
of interest)should include the whole population.
Common techniques: Lottery technique, Fish ball Technique
Example of Simple Random Sampling

For example, in an organization of 500 employees, if the HR

team decides on conducting team building activities, it is
highly likely that they would prefer picking chits out of a bowl.
In this case, each of the 500 employees has an equal
opportunity of being selected.
 Systematic Random Sampling

Using systematic random sampling, researchers select

sample members from a population at regular intervals. It
involves the selection of a starting point for the sample and a
repeatable sample size at regular intervals.

For example, a researcher intends to collect a systematic sample of 500

people in a population of 5000. He/she numbers each element of the
population from 1-5000 and will choose every 10th individual to be a
part of the sample (Total population/ Sample Size = 5000/500 = 10).
 Stratified random sampling is a technique in which the
researcher divides the population into subgroups (strata) that
do not overlap but are representative of the full population.
During sampling, it is possible to organize these groups and
then draw samples from each group independently.

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.
Cluster Random sampling also entails splitting the population
into subgroups, but each subgroup should have characteristics
that are similar to those of the entire sample. Instead of randomly
selecting individuals from each subgroup, entire subgroups are
selected.

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.
Multi-Stage Random Sampling
Using combination of random sampling designs in order
to obtain needed samples based on a large population
Stratified Random Sampling (Proportionate Allocation Formula)

Example. 1 N = 800, n = 260 Ni

ni   n
A = 200, B = 500, C = 100 N
where;
200 n1 = computed samples
nA   260  65 per group (Stratum)
800
N1 = Population size per
500
nB   260  162.5  163 group
800
N = Total population
100
nC   260  32.5  33 n = overall sample size
800
Example 2.
N = 1000, n = 200
Class A = 350, Class B = 400, Class C = 100, and Class D = 150

Ni
ni   n
N
350 100
nA   200  70 nC   200  20
1000 1000

400 150
nB   200  80 nD   200  30
1000 1000
Non-Random Sampling
 Convenience Sampling
 Purposive Sampling
 Quota Sampling
 Snowball sampling

1. Convenience Sampling - This type of sampling, researchers prefer

participants as per their own convenience. The researcher selects
the closest live persons as respondents. In convenience sampling,
subjects who are readily accessible or available to the researcher
are selected.
2. Purposive Sampling - In this type of sampling, the researcher
chooses the participants as per his/her own judgment, keeping back in
mind the purpose of the study. It uses the judgment of an expert in
selecting cases or it selects cases with a specific purpose in mind.

3. Quota Sampling - You select your sample according to some fixed

quota This type of sampling is somehow related to stratified sampling.
Make sure that the sample represents each group or stratum of the
population. Unlike the stratified sampling, the researcher in quota
sampling method selects the subjects available immediately fulfilling
the criteria.
4. Snowball Sampling - Also called "chain referral sampling,” in this
method, the sample is actually collected in various stages. This method
is appropriate when the members of a special population are difficult
to locate. It begins by the collection of data from one or more contacts
usually known to the person collecting the data. At the end of the data
collection process (e.g., questionnaire, survey, or interview), the data
collector asks the respondent to provide contact information for other
potential respondents. These potential respondents are contacted,
interviewed and further asked to provide more contacts. This process
goes on till the purpose of the researcher is achieved.
Sample Scenario:
1. A researcher looking to analyze the characteristics of people belonging
to different annual income divisions will create strata (groups)
according to the annual family income. E.g. – less than $20,000,
$21,000 – $30,000, $31,000 to $40,000, $41,000 to $50,000, etc. By
doing this, the researcher concludes the characteristics of people
belonging to different income groups. Marketers can analyze which
income groups to target and which ones to eliminate to create a
roadmap that would bear fruitful results.
Answer: Stratified Random Sampling
2. Company A distribute leaflets of upcoming events or promotion of
their new product toothpaste – they do that by standing at the mall
entrance and giving out pamphlets randomly.
Answer: Convenience Sampling
3. 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.
Answer: Systematic Random Sampling
4. 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.
Answer: Cluster Random Sampling
5. You are researching experiences of students with successful business
in your school. Since there is no list of all students with successful
business in the school, you meet one person who agrees to participate
in the research, and she puts you in contact with other students with
potentials to be included in the survey that she knows in the area.
Answer: Snowball Random Sampling
ENJOY
LEARNING!!!