SAMPLING METHOD

• When you conduct research about a group of people, it is rarely possible to collect data
from every person in that group. Instead, you select a sample.
• The sample is the group of individuals who will actually participate in the research.
• A research population is generally a large collection of individuals or objects that is
the main focus of a scientific query.
• It is for the benefit of the population that researches are done.
• However, due to the large sizes of population, researchers often cannot test every
individual in the population because it is too expensive and time-consuming. This is
the reason why researchers rely on sampling techniques.
• Sampling is a process of choosing a few samples from a larger group or otherwise
known as population to form as a foundation for measuring the occurrence of a
specified data, condition, or output regarding the population (Kumar, 2011).

TERMINOLOGIES

• SAMPLING TECHNIQUE is a process of choosing a few samples from a larger

group or otherwise known as population to form as a foundation for measuring
the occurrence of a specified data, condition, or output regarding the population
(Kumar, 2011).

• POPULATION is generally a large collection of individuals or objects that is the

main focus of a scientific query.

• SAMPLE is the group of individuals who will actually participate in the research.

• SAMPLING FRAME is the actual list of individuals that the sample will be drawn
from. Ideally, it should include the entire target population (and nobody who is
not part of the population).

Example: You are doing research on working conditions at Hospital X. your

population is all 1500 employees of the hospital. Your sampling frame is the
hospital’s HR database which lists the names and contact details of every
employee.

HOW TO DETERMINE SAMPLE SIZE

• The number of individuals in the sample depends on the size of the population, and
on how precisely you want the results to represent the population as a whole.
• Can use a sample size calculator to determine how big the sample should be.
• Slovin’s formula – is used to calculate the sample size necessary to achieve a certain
confidence interval when sampling a population (controversial as of now but is still
being used).
• In general, the larger the sample size, the more accurately and confidently the study
can make inferences about the whole population.

SAMPLE SIZE

Slovin’s formula: n = N / (1+Ne2)

A researcher plans to conduct a survey. If the population is 1,000,000 , find the sample
size if the margin of error is 5%.

Given: Rule: When the calculated sample size is

N = 1,000,000 n = sample size not a whole number, it should be rounded
e = 5% = 0.05 N = total population up to the next higher whole number.
e = margin of error
Rounding up a sample size calculation for
n = N / (1+Ne2)
conservativeness ensures that your sample
size will always be representative of the
population
n = 1,000,000/(1 + 1,000,000 x 0.05² )
n = 1,000,000/(1 + 1,000,000 x 0.0025 )
n = 1,000,000/(1 + 2500 )
n = 1,000,000/2501
n = 399.84
n = 400

2 MAJOR TYPES OF SAMPLING DESIGN

• Sampling design comprised of 2 major types. These are:
1. Probability Sampling – involves random selection, allowing you to make
statistical inferences about the whole group,
2. Non-Probability Sampling – involves non-random selection based on
convenience or other criteria, allowing you to easily collect initial data.

PROBABILITY SAMPLING METHODS

• Every member of the population has a chance of being selected.
• It is mainly used in quantitative research.
• Used to produce results that are representative of the whole population.

SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING

• The individual has a tantamount opportunity of being chosen.
• It allows the sampling error to be calculated and lessen the possibility of bias.
• One of the benefits is that it is the most direct technique of probability sampling.
• Its drawbacks are the possibility of individuals chosen might not necessarily provide
the data needed especially if the data needed is uncommon,
• Example: You want to select a simple random sample of 250 employees of Hospital X.
You assign a number to every employee in the company database from 1 to 1,500 and
use a random number generator to select 250 numbers.
• People of old days use drawlots or fish bowl method.

SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING
• Sometimes referred to as interval random sampling. In this type of sampling design,
individuals are chosen on the basis of regular intervals from the samples.
• Example: The researcher needs a sample size of 50 participants from a sample of 200.
So, choose every 200/50 = 4th individual of the sampling body.
STRATIFIED SAMPLING
• Sometimes referred to as quota random sampling.
• The population is split into subsets known as strata based on the relevant
characteristics (e.g., age range, income bracket, job roles). Then use random or
systematic sampling to select a sample from each subgroup.
• Example: The company has 800 female employees and 200 men 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 one each
group, selecting 80 women and 20 men, which gives you a representative sample of
100 people.

CLUSTER SAMPLING
• 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.
 NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING METHOD
• Individuals are selected based on non-random criteria, and not every individual has a
chance of being included.

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 generalize 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.

QUOTA SAMPLING
• The population is divided into selected subcategories.
• Participants are chosen from the subcategories until the target number of samples
have been met.
• Example: The researchers are given a quota of participants to recruit such as 10
nursing students, 10 pharmacist students, 10 medical technology students, and 10
physical therapy students and interview them about their study habits.
PURPOSIVE SAMPLING
• Otherwise known as judgment sampling, selective sampling, or subjective sampling.
• Participants will be selected on the basis of their qualifications with the objective of
the study, inclusion and exclusion criteria.
• It is often used in qualitative research where the researcher wants to gain detailed
knowledge about a specific phenomenon rather than make statistical inferences.
• 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.
Total population sampling is a type of purposive sampling technique that involves
examining the entire population (i.e., the total population) that has a particular set of
characteristics (e.g., specific attributes/traits, experience, knowledge, skills, exposure to
an event, etc.).

SNOWBALL SAMPLING
• Otherwise referred to as respondent-assisted sampling.
• Existing participants is asked to recommend further participants they know thus the
sample increases in size like a rolling snowball.
• 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.

prepared by:

WAFIA SADAIN- SAJILI, PhD.

NR 1 Professor, WMSU CN