SAMPLING THEORY

Module - 7
Importance of Sampling
• Cost-effectiveness: It is much more cost-effective to survey a sample of the
population than to survey the entire population.
• Timeliness: Sampling also allows researchers to gather data more quickly than
they could if they had to survey the entire population.
• Accuracy: If sampling is done correctly, the results of a sample survey can be just
as accurate as the results of a survey of the entire population.
◦ Sampling can be used to target specific groups of people within the population.
◦ For example, if a researcher is interested in learning more about the opinions of
millennials, they can create a sample that only includes millennials. This allows the
researcher to get more detailed and accurate data from the target group.
How to prepare a Sampling
plan?
Define the target population:
 The target population is the group of people that the researcher wants to
learn more about.
 The target population should be defined as specifically as possible.
 For example, instead of defining the target population as "all adults in
Maharashtra," the researcher could define it as "all adults in Maharashtra
between the ages of 18 and 34 who live in urban areas.“
How to prepare a Sampling
plan?
Choose a sampling frame:
 The next step is to choose a sampling frame, which is a list of all the
members
of the target population.

 The sampling frame should be as complete and accurate as possible.

 For example, the researcher uses a digital database, list of registered

voters etc, or a customer database as a sampling frame.
How to prepare a Sampling plan?
How to prepare a Sampling plan?
1. Define the universe of your study: This is the set of objects you are
studying.

Population of a city, the number of workers in a warehouse, or fans of a particular television

show.

2. Gather your sampling frame: This is the list of names from which your
sample will be drawn.

3. Consider your sampling technique: Will it be geographical, social, or

individual?

4. Determine sample size: Appropriate units to be decided taking various

factors like budget, timeframe, locations etc.
Sampling methods
To draw valid conclusions from your results, you have to carefully decide how
you will select a sample that is representative of the group as a whole. This
is called a sampling method.

• 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
◦ Probability sampling means that every member of the population has a
chance
of being selected.
◦ It is mainly used in quantitative research.
◦ If you want to produce results that are representative of the whole
population,
probability sampling techniques are the most valid choice.
Simple Random Sampling
◦ Every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.

◦ Your sampling frame should include the whole population.

◦ To conduct this type of sampling, you can use tools like random number
generators or other techniques that are based entirely on chance.

◦ Sample frame can be used in the following methods –

◦ Lottery
◦ Table of random numbers
◦ Use of Computer
Simple Random Sampling
◦ You want to select a simple random sample of 1000 employees of a social
media marketing company.
◦ 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.
Systematic Sampling
◦ 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.
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.
Systematic Sampling
Stratified Sampling
◦ To use this sampling method, you divide the population into subgroups/
strata based
on the relevant characteristic (e.g., gender identity, 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.
Stratified Sampling
Stratified Sampling
◦ The company has 800 female employees and 200 male employees.

◦ 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 Sampling
◦ 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.

◦ 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.
Cluster Sampling
Cluster Sampling
◦ The company has offices in 10 cities across the country.
◦ All with roughly the same number of employees in similar roles.
◦ You use random sampling to select 3 offices – these are your clusters.
Non Probability Sampling
◦ A sampling technique in which the researcher selects samples based on
the subjective judgment of the researcher rather than random
selection.

◦ This sampling method depends heavily on the expertise of the

researchers.

◦ It is carried out by observation, and researchers use it widely for

qualitative research.

◦ Not all population members have an equal chance of participating in

the study, unlike probability sampling.
Non Probability Sampling
Snowball Sampling
Snowball sampling
◦ This method helps researchers find a sample when they are difficult to
locate.

◦ Researchers use this technique when the sample size is small and not
easily available.

◦ This sampling system works like the referral program.

◦ Once the researchers find suitable subjects, he asks them for

assistance to seek similar subjects to form a considerably good size
sample.
Snowball sampling
◦ Studying Rare Diseases: When researching rare diseases, it might be
difficult to identify and reach individuals who have the condition. Snowball
sampling can be employed by starting with known cases and asking them
to refer others they know with the same condition.

◦ Exploring Hidden Communities: Snowball sampling can be useful in

studying hidden or marginalized communities, such as undocumented
immigrants or victims of human trafficking. Initial contacts within these
communities can refer researchers to others who may be willing to
participate.

◦ Researching Online Communities: In online communities such as

forums, social media groups, or gaming communities, researchers can use
snowball sampling to recruit participants for studies related to online
Quota Sampling
Quota sampling
◦ Researchers divide the population into subgroups based on certain
characteristics
(e.g., age, gender, income).

◦ They select a predetermined number of individuals from each subgroup to

ensure that the sample reflects the diversity of the population on
those characteristics.
Quota sampling
◦ Customer Satisfaction Surveys:
A company conducting a customer satisfaction survey might use quota
sampling to ensure that they gather feedback from a representative
sample of their customer base. They might set quotas based on factors
such as the type of product purchased, the frequency of purchases,
and the length of time as a customer to ensure that they capture
feedback from different segments of their customer population.

◦ Health Surveys:
A public health agency conducting a survey on health behaviors and
outcomes might use quota sampling to ensure that they gather data
from a representative sample of the population. They might set
quotas based on factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, and
socioeconomic status to ensure a diverse sample that reflects the
population at large.
Convenience Sampling
Convenience sampling
◦ Samples are selected from the population only because they are
conveniently available to the researcher.
◦ Researchers chose these samples just because they are easy to
recruit, and the researcher did not consider selecting a sample that
represents the entire population.

◦ Ideally, in research, it is good to test a sample that represents the

population.
◦ But, in some research, the population is too large to examine and
consider the entire population. It is one of the reasons why researchers rely
on convenience sampling, which is the most common non-probability
sampling method, because of its speed, cost-effectiveness, and ease
of availability of the sample.
Convenience sampling
◦ College Campus Surveys: A psychology student conducting a study
might recruit participants by simply approaching students on their college
campus and asking them to participate in a survey or experiment. This
method is convenient because the researcher can easily access a large
pool of potential participants in one location.
◦ Online Surveys: Researchers might post survey links on social media
platforms, forums, or email lists and ask individuals who come across the
link to participate. This method is convenient because it allows researchers
to reach a wide audience quickly and inexpensively, but it may introduce
biases due to self-selection.
◦ Convenience Stores or Coffee Shops: Researchers might approach
customers at convenience stores, coffee shops, or other public places and
ask them to participate in a brief survey or interview. This method is
convenient because it allows researchers to access a variety of people in a
Judgmental Sampling
Judgmental sampling
◦ Researchers select the samples based purely on the researcher’s
knowledge and credibility.

◦ In other words, researchers choose only those people who they deem fit
to participate in the research study.

◦ Judgmental or purposive sampling is not a scientific method of

sampling, and the downside to this sampling technique is that the
preconceived notions of a researcher can influence the results.
◦ Thus, this research technique involves a high amount of ambiguity.
Judgmental sampling
◦ Drug Trials: If testing a new diabetes drug, researchers might specifically
recruit participants who have been diagnosed with diabetes and meet
certain health criteria.

◦ Market Research: A company launching a new line of athletic apparel

might specifically target individuals who are active in sports and fitness
activities.

◦ Employee Feedback: In organizations conducting employee satisfaction

surveys or feedback sessions, managers might use judgmental sampling to
select participants who represent diverse perspectives or hold key
positions within the company. For instance, managers might specifically
seek feedback from frontline employees, supervisors, and executives to
gain a comprehensive understanding of workplace issues.
How does one calculate the Sample
Size
for a particular research?
Does Sample size matter?
The size of the sample is very important for getting accurate, statistically
significant results and running your study successfully.

If your sample is too small:

• you may include a disproportionate number of individuals which are outliers and
anomalies.
• These skew the results and you don’t get a fair picture of the whole population.

If the sample is too big:

• The whole study becomes complex, expensive and time -consuming to run.
• Although the results are more accurate, the benefits don’t outweigh the costs.
Terms used around sample size

Population size:

 Population size is how many people fit your demographic.

 For example, you want to get information on doctors residing in Mumbai. Your population
size is the total number of doctors in Mumbai.

 But, your population size does not always have to be that big.

 Smaller population sizes can still give you accurate results as long as you know who
you’re trying to represent.
Terms used around sample size

Confidence level:

 The confidence level tells you how sure you can be that your data is accurate.

 It is expressed as a percentage and aligned to the confidence interval.

 For example, if your confidence level is 90%, your results will most likely be 90%
accurate.
Terms used around sample size
Terms used around sample size

The margin of error (confidence interval)

 There’s no way to be 100% accurate when it comes to surveys.

 Confidence intervals tell you how far off from the population means you’re willing to
allow your data to fall.

 A margin of error describes how close you can reasonably expect a survey result to
fall relative to the real population value.
Terms used around sample size
Terms used around sample size
Standard Deviation

◦ Standard deviation is the measure of the dispersion of a data set from its mean.
It measures the absolute variability of a distribution.

◦ The higher the dispersion or variability, the greater the standard deviation and
the greater the magnitude of the deviation.

◦ For example, you have already sent out your survey.

◦ How much variance do you expect in your responses? That variation in response
is the standard deviation.
Steps to finding sample size
1.Define population size or number of people

2.Designate your margin of error

3.Determine your confidence level

4.Predict expected variance

5.Finalize your sample size