Sampling

Probability Sampling and Non Probability

Sampling Methods
Introduction
 Sampling
 The process of drawing a number of individual cases
from a larger population
 A way to learn about a larger population by obtaining
information from a subset of a larger population
 Example
 Presidential polls are based upon samples of the

population that might vote in an election

Introduction
 Why Sample?
 To learn something about a large group
without having to study every member of that
group
 Time and cost
 Studying every single instance of a thing is
impractical or too expensive
 Example
 Census
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SAMPLING BREAKDOWN
Introduction
 Why Sample?
 We want to minimize the number of things we
examine or maximize the quality of our
examination of those things we do examine.
SAMPLING…….

STUDY POPULATION

SAMPLE

TARGET POPULATION

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Introduction
 Why Sample?
 Population
 The group of elements from which a researcher
samples and to which she or he might like to
generalize
Population definition

 A population can be defined as including all

people or items with the characteristic one
wishes to understand.
 Because there is very rarely enough time or
money to gather information from everyone
or everything in a population, the goal
becomes finding a representative sample (or
subset) of that population.

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Introduction
 Why Sample?
 Sample
 A number of individual cases drawn from a larger
population
Introduction
 Sampling Frames, Probability versus
Nonprobability Samples
 Target population
 A population of theoretical interest
PROBABILITY SAMPLING

 A probability sampling scheme is one in which every

unit in the population has a chance (greater than
zero) of being selected in the sample, and this
probability can be accurately determined.

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Introduction
 Sampling Frames, Probability versus
Nonprobability Samples
 Sampling frame or study population
 The group of elements from which a sample is
actually selected
NON PROBABILITY SAMPLING

 Any sampling method where some elements of population have no

chance of selection (these are sometimes referred to as 'out of
coverage'/'undercovered'), or where the probability of
selection can't be accurately determined.

 Example: We visit every household in a given street, and

interview the first person to answer the door. In any household
with more than one occupant, this is a nonprobability sample,
because some people are more likely to answer the door (e.g. an
unemployed person who spends most of their time at home is
more likely to answer than an employed housemate who might be
at work when the interviewer calls) and it's not practical to
calculate these probabilities.

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Introduction
 Sampling Frames, Probability versus
Nonprobability Samples
 Nonprobability Samples
 A sample that has been drawn in a way that
doesn’t give every member of the population a
known chance of being selected
Introduction
 Sampling Frames, Probability versus
Nonprobability Samples
 Probability
 A sample drawn in a way to give every member
of the population a known (nonzero) chance of
inclusion
 Probability samples are usually more
representative than nonprobability samples of the
populations from which they are drawn
 Introduction
 Sampling Frames, Probability versus
Nonprobability Samples
 Biased Samples
 A sample that is not representative from the
population which it is drawn
 Probability samples are LESS likely to be biased samples
Introduction
 Sampling Frames, Probability versus
Nonprobability Samples
 Generalizability
 The ability to apply the results of a study to groups or
situations beyond those actually studied
 A probability sample tends to be more generalizable
because it increases the chances that samples are
representative of the populations from which they are
drawn.
Sources of Error Associated with
Sampling
 Sampling Error
 Any difference between the characteristics of
a sample and the characteristics of the
population from which the sample is drawn
Types of Probability Sampling
 Simple Random Sampling
 Systematic Sampling
 Stratified Sampling
 Cluster Sampling
 Multistage Sampling
Types of Probability Sampling
 Simple Random Sampling
 A probability sample in which every member of
a study population has been given an equal
chance of selection
 One way to draw a simple random sample, is to
put all possibilities on paper, cut them up, and
then draw a sample from a hat
 Research Randomizer (http://randomizer.org)
 Types of Probability Sampling
 Systematic Sampling
 A probability sampling procedure that involves
selecting every kth element from a list of
population elements, after the first element has
been randomly selected
 Example
 Divide the total number of elements by the number
you want in your sample 24/6 = 4
 Randomly select a number between 1 and 4 and
then select every 4th element from that number
SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING
• Applicable when population is small, homogeneous
& readily available
• All subsets of the frame are given an equal
probability. Each element of the frame thus has
an equal probability of selection.
• It provides for greatest number of possible
samples. This is done by assigning a number to
each unit in the sampling frame.
• A table of random number or lottery system is
used to determine which units are to be
selected.
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Types of Probability Sampling
 Systematic Sampling
 Selection interval
 The distance between the elements selected in a
sample

Selection Interval (k) = population size

sample size
 Types of Probability Sampling
 Stratified Sampling
 A probability sampling procedure that involves
dividing the population in groups or strata defined
by the presence of certain characteristics and then
random sampling from each stratum
 Example
 If you had a population that was 10% women and
you want a sample that is also 10% women
SYSTEMATIC
SAMPLING……
 Systematic sampling relies on arranging the target population
according to some ordering scheme and then selecting elements
at regular intervals through that ordered list.
 Systematic sampling involves a random start and then proceeds
with the selection of every kth element from then onwards. In
this case, k=(population size/sample size).

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Types of Probability Sampling
 Stratified Sampling
 Steps to draw a stratified random sample
1. Group the study population into strata or into
groups that share a given characteristic
2. Randomly sample within each strata
Types of Probability Sampling
 Cluster Sampling
 A probability sampling procedure that involves
randomly selecting clusters of elements from a
population and subsequently selecting every element
in each selected cluster for inclusion in the sample
 Cluster sampling is an option if data collection involves
visits to sites that are far apart
STRATIFIED SAMPLING……
 Finally, since each stratum is treated as an
independent population, different sampling
approaches can be applied to different strata.

 Drawbacks to using stratified sampling.

 First, sampling frame of entire population has
to be prepared separately for each stratum
 Second, when examining multiple criteria,
stratifying variables may be related to some,
but not to others, further complicating the
design, and potentially reducing the utility of
the strata.
 Finally, in some cases (such as designs with a
large number of strata, or those with a
specified minimum sample size per group),
stratified sampling can potentially require a
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STRATIFIED SAMPLING…….

Draw a sample from each stratum

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 Types of Probability Sampling
 Cluster Sampling
 Example
 You are conducting a study of Kentucky high school
students
 You could obtain a list of all high school students in the
state and complete random sampling
 A cluster sample would be more practical
 Obtain a list of all high schools in Kentucky
 Random sample the high schools from the list
 Obtain a list of students for each high school
selected and then contact each of those students
Types of Probability Sampling
 Multistage Sampling
 A probability sampling procedure that involves
several stages, such as randomly selecting
clusters from a population, then randomly
selecting elements from each of the clusters
 CLUSTER SAMPLING
 Cluster sampling is an example of 'two-stage
sampling' .
 First stage a sample of areas is chosen;
 Second stage a sample of respondents within
those areas is selected.
 Population divided into clusters of homogeneous
units, usually based on geographical contiguity.
 Sampling units are groups rather than individuals.
 A sample of such clusters is then selected.
 All units from the selected clusters are studied.

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Types of Nonprobabilty Sampling
 Purposive Sampling
 Quota Sampling
 Snowball Sampling
 Convenience Sampling
Types of Nonprobability Sampling
 Purposive Sampling
 A nonprobability sampling procedure that involves
selecting elements based on a researcher's
judgment about which elements will facilitate his or
her investigation
Types of Nonprobability Sampling
 Quota Sampling
 A nonprobability sampling procedure that
involves describing the target population in
terms of what are thought to be relevant
criteria and then selecting sample elements to
represent the “relevant” subgroups in
proportion to their presence in the target
population
 Types of Nonprobability Sampling
 Snowball Sampling
 A nonprobability sampling procedure that involves
using members of the group of interest to identify
other members of the group
Types of Nonprobability Sampling
 Convenience Sampling
 A nonprobability sampling procedure that
involves selecting elements that are readily
accessible to the researcher
 Sometimes called an available-subjects
sample