Sampling techniques

The selected respondents sample

The selection process sampling techniques
Probability
Non probability

Probability Sampling
Involves random selection procedure to
ensure that each unit of sample is chosen on
the basis of chance.
Simple random sampling
Stratified random sampling
Systematic random sampling
Multi- stage sampling
Cluster sampling

Simple Random sampling

Every member of the population has an equal
chance of being selected
Eg : A group of 25 employees chosen out of a
hat from a company of 250 employees. In this
case, the population is all 250 employees, and
the sample is random because each employee
has an equal chance of being chosen.

Stratified Sampling
The representatives from each category are
chosen at random.
The population is divided into two or more
groups called strata, according to some
criterion, such as geographic location, grade
level, age, or income, and subsamples are
randomly selected from each strata

Proportionate:

A company has a total of 360 employees in four

different categories:
Managers
36
Drivers
54
Administrative Staff
90
Production Staff
180
How many from each category should be
included in a stratified random sample of size 20
?

 To create a sample of size 20 we need 20 /

360 or 118 of the workforce. So we take this
fraction of the number of employees in each
category.
Managers

118 36 = 2

Drivers

118 54 = 3

Administrative Staff 118 90 = 5

Production Staff

118 180 = 10
TOTAL = 20

Systematic Sampling

It relies on arranging the target population

according to some ordering scheme and then
selecting elements at regular intervals through
that ordered list.

Cluster Sampling
The population is divided into
subgroups (clusters) like families.
A simple random sample is taken
of the subgroups and then all
members of the cluster selected
are surveyed.

Multistage sampling
Multi-stage sampling: cluster sampling
repeated at a number of levels.
Eg: Randomly selecting hospitals by county
and then a sample of patients from each
selected hospital.

Non probability sampling

Process in which every individual in the
population may not have equal probability of
being a sample
Judgement Sampling
Convenience sampling
Quota sampling
Accidental Sampling
Snowball sampling

Judgement Sampling
The sample is selected based upon judgment.
In judgement sampling, the researcher or
some other "expert" uses his/her judgement
in selecting the units from the population for
study based on the populations parameters.

Convenience
Samples that are most available are chosen
Samples are familiar to the user
Eg : friends, co-workers etc

Quota
A quota is established. There is freedom in
choosing any respondent as long as the quota
is met.
Subjects are recruited as they arrive and the
researcher will assign them to demographic
groups.

 Eg:
A researcher in Salem wants 100 opinions
about a new color of cheese. He sets up a stall
and canvasses passers-by until she has got 100
people to taste the cheese and complete the
questionnaire.

Accidental Sampling
The researcher selects the sample units that
they come across on the street.
For eg: interviews conducted by TV reporters

Snowball

Snowball sampling uses recommendations to find

people with the specific range of skills that has
been determined as being useful.
Useful tool in building networks and increasing the
number of participants
Depends greatly on initial contacts and
connections made.