Section 1.

2 – Sampling Methods

When selecting
a sample the
main objective is
When it fails
to ensure that it
is as
to do this it is Biased
said to be…
representative
of the population
as possible.
 The actual set of units from
Sample/Survey Frame
which the sample is chosen

Example

You are interested in finding out what proportion of South African

farm workers earn less than the stipulated minimum wage.
You select your sample of 100 as follows:

1. Get a list of employees from a local farm.

2. Alphabetize the list and select the first 100 men.
NO !
Are the population and sample frame the same?
 Population:
ALL
All South African Sample frame:
farm workers
Different areas

Men and women Only men

Only a local area Men are generally stronger than

women. Maybe they are paid a
different rate from women due
• Maybe the owner of the local farm is generous and to the more physically
pays a good wage. challenging work.
• Maybe the kind of farm work requires skill and so the
workers are paid more due to the skill requirements. This creates
problems!
 Methods:
Probability samples Simple random
Samples are drawn sampling
according to the laws of
We will Stratified sampling
chance
look at 2
Systematic sampling
kinds of
samples
Convenience
samples Methods:
Samples in which data that Quota sampling
is readily available is used
 Sampling in which each
Simple Random Sampling sample of a given size (n)
that can be drawn will
have the same chance of
being drawn
Example 1
Picking the winners of 3 prizes

Method
• Write each entrants name on a piece of paper.
• Put the names into a hat.
• Shake the hat.
• Select 3 blindfolded
Example 2:
Selecting 2000 people to take part in a
survey about telephone service quality.

Method

• Number the telephone numbers sequentially.

• Randomly select 2000 numbers using a computer.

• Match the numbers to the telephone numbers.

A simple random sample can be selected using EXCEL…

 Implementation of the Random Function

To generate values greater, or

equal to, 0 but less than 1 use
= 𝑹𝑨𝑵𝑫

To generate integers with values Min. value Max. value

from “Bottom” to “Top” use

= 𝑹𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑵 𝑩𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒎 ; 𝑻𝒐𝒑

 Implementation of the Random Function
Example 1: Generate 10 numbers
from 0 to less than 1.

STEP 1: Select cell A8

STEP 2: In this cell, type =RAND()

STEP 3: Point curser to the bottom

right hand corner of cell A8 till the
pointer changes to a ‘+ ‘

STEP 4: Hold down, drag and fill

remaining values in column A
 Implementation of the Random Function

Example 2:
Generate 10 numbers from 1 to 5.

STEP 1: Select cell G8

STEP 2: In this cell, type

=RANDBETWEEN(1;5)

STEP 3: Drag and fill remaining values in

column G
 Example 3: Using EXCEL ,select the 6 lotto numbers (from 49)

STEP 1: Select cell A2

STEP 2: In this cell, type

‘=RANDBETWEEN(1;49) ‘

STEP 3: Hold down, drag and fill

remaining values in column A

Selected no.s will be:

29, 12, 35, 3, 18, 7

 Simple Random Sampling

Advantages Disadvantages

Simple to apply for a

• Time consuming for large
small population
populations.

Consider doing a study on the whales off the • Maybe not all items can
east coast of RSA. be listed.
• Not all the whales can be found to study –
they migrate. • Maybe not all items can
• We don’t actually know how many there are be found/contacted.
so we can’t list them.
 The number selected
Stratified from each stratum is
Sampling proportional to the
population
Items in the
population are
grouped
according to
some Simple
characteristic random
The groups sampling is
are called done in each
strata stratum
Example:
In a study focussed on peoples’ opinions to road safety, road users were
divided into 5 groups based on their mode of transport.

Note: Mode of transport is definitely an

important contributor to a person’s opinion
to road safety. Therefore, grouping people
by mode is suitable.

Example: Somebody who goes by foot has

no protection in an accident and so may feel
the roads are unsafe. Somebody who drives
a large car has lots of safety (airbags etc) in
an accident so may feel the roads are fairly
safe.

If a stratified sample of 400 road users is to be selected, how many people

should be chosen from each group?
Taxi: (0.42) x (400) = 168

Car: (0.22) x (400) = 88

Bus: (0.19) x (400) = 76

On Foot: (0.11) x (400) = 44

Other: (0.06) x (400) = 24

 Samples are chosen by
Systematic Sampling selecting every 𝑘 𝑡ℎ item where
𝑘 = 𝑁Τ𝑛

Step 1: Number
each item

Step 2: Randomly select a

number to get the first
item of the sample

Step 3: Choose every 𝑘 𝑡ℎ

item till the sample is
of the required size
Example
A car manufacturer wants to check the size of a particular part that is
being made. Two hundred parts were made today. The manufacturer
wants a systematic sample of 30 parts.

a) The manufacturer will select every ____ part for the sample.
200
k =
𝑁
𝑛
= = 6.666 ≈ 7
30

b) Suppose the manufacturer starts with the 4th part. What is the
number of the 3rd part to be selected?
 1 2 3 4 5

1st item in the sample is Part-4

2nd item in 10 9 8 7 6
the sample
is Part-11

11 12 13 14 15

21 20 19 18 17 16
3rd item in the sample is Part-18
 Quota Sampling A type of convenience sampling

1.
Identify
characteristics
of interest 2.
Decide on
categories 3.
Choose
quotas and 4.
sub-quotas Collect information
from somewhere
convenient till quotas
are obtained
 Example
A company is marketing a new type of soap and wants to know how
potential customers might react to it.
Quota sampling can be used.

Step 1: Important characteristics

Gender : male, female

Age: Under 20
20 – 60
Over 60
Step 2: Decide categories
This can be done using a table.
There are 6 categories
• Males under 20
• Females under 20
• Males 20 – 60
• etc
Male Female
Under 20 - -
20 - 60 - -
Over 60 - -
Step 3: Choose quota and sub-quotas

How many go into

Total
each category
sample
size
These numbers can be
Male Female chosen in various
ways.
Under 20 15 15
20 - 60 30 30 Often equal numbers
are chosen for each
Over 60 15 15
category.
Step 4: Go somewhere convenient to collect the information

Example: Shopping centre

. Potential buyers could smell the
soap for themselves.

Advantages: Disadvantage:

• Cheap The interviewer can

Results
CHOOSE who to
• Convenient could be
interview biased
• Quick i.e. No longer up to
chance