Sampling

When you conduct research about a group of people, it’s 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.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 1
 Difference between Population and Sample:

The population is the The sample is the specific

entire group that you group of individuals that
want to draw you will collect data from.
conclusions about.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 2
 Sampling frame
 The 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 that population).

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 3
 Example
 You are doing research on working conditions at Company X. Your population is
all 1000 employees of the company. Your sampling frame is the company’s HR
database which lists the names and contact details of every employee.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 4
 Sample size
 The number of individuals you should include in your sample depends on various
factors, including the size and variability of the population and your research
design. There are different sample size calculators and formulas depending on what
you want to achieve with statistical analysis.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 5
 Sample size
 The number of individuals you should include in your sample depends on various
factors, including the size and variability of the population and your research
design. There are different sample size calculators and formulas depending on what
you want to achieve with statistical analysis.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 6
 Variablility
 Variability is also referred to as spread, scatter or dispersion. It is most commonly
measured with the following:
 Range: the difference between the highest and lowest values
 Interquartile range: the range of the middle half of a distribution
 Standard deviation: average distance from the mean
 Variance: average of squared distances from the mean

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 7
 There are two types of sampling methods:

Probability sampling  Non-probability sampling

involves random selection,  involves non-random selection
allowing you to make strong based on convenience or other
statistical inferences about the criteria, allowing you to easily
whole group. collect data.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 8
Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 9
 Simple Random Sampling
 Each individual has the same probability of being chosen to be a part of a
sample.
For example, in an organization of 500 employees, if the HR team decides on
conducting team-building activities, it is highly likely that they would prefer
picking chits out of a bowl. In this case, each of the 500 employees has an equal
opportunity of being selected.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 10
 Cluster sampling:
  Cluster sampling is a method where the researchers divide the entire population
into sections or clusters that represent a population. Clusters are identified and
included in a sample based on demographic parameters like age, sex, location, etc.
This makes it very simple for a survey creator to derive effective inferences from
the feedback.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 11
 Example
 if the Pakistan government wishes to evaluate the number of migration living in the
Lahore, they can divide it into clusters based on the town such as behriya, model,
Iqbal, Nishatr, wagha, ravi,shalimar etc. This way of conducting a survey will be
more effective as the results will be organized into twons and provide insightful
migration data.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 12
 Systematic sampling
 It requires the selection of a starting point for the sample and sample size that can
be repeated at regular intervals. This type of sampling method has a predefined
range, and hence this sampling technique is the least time-consuming.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 13
 Example
A researcher intends to collect a systematic sample of 500 people in a population of
5000. He/she numbers each element of the population from 1-5000 and will choose
every 10th individual to be a part of the sample (Total population/ Sample Size =
5000/500 = 10).

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 14
 Stratified random sampling
a method in which the researcher divides the population into smaller groups that
don’t overlap but represent the entire population. While sampling, these groups can be
organized and then draw a sample from each group separately.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 15
 Example
 A researcher looking to analyze the characteristics of people belonging to different
annual income divisions will create strata (groups) according to the annual family
income. Eg – less than $20,000, $21,000 – $30,000, $31,000 to $40,000, $41,000 to
$50,000, etc. By doing this, the researcher concludes the characteristics of people
belonging to different income groups. Marketers can analyze which income groups
to target and which ones to eliminate to create a roadmap that would bear fruitful
results.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 16
 Uses of probability sampling
 Reduce Sample Bias
 Diverse Population: 
 Create an Accurate Sample

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 17
 Example
 startups and NGOs usually conduct convenience sampling at a mall to distribute
leaflets of upcoming events or promotion of a cause – they do that by standing at
the mall entrance and giving out pamphlets randomly.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 18
 Convenience sampling
  This non-probability sampling method is used when there are time and cost
limitations in collecting feedback. In situations where there are resource limitations
such as the initial stages of research, convenience sampling is used.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 19
 Example
 surveys to gather information about HIV Aids. Not many victims will readily
respond to the questions. Still, researchers can contact people they might know or
volunteers associated with the cause to get in touch with the victims and collect
information.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 20
 Judgmental or purposive samples
  are formed by the discretion of the researcher.
 Researchers purely consider the purpose of the study, along with the understanding
of the target audience.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 21
 Example
 For instance, when researchers want to understand the thought process of people
interested in studying for their master’s degree. The selection criteria will be: “Are
you interested in doing your masters in …?” and those who respond with a “No”
are excluded from the sample.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 22
 Snowball sampling
 A sampling method that researchers apply when the subjects are difficult to trace.
 Researchers also implement this sampling method in situations where the topic is
highly sensitive and not openly discussed

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 23
 Quota sampling
  the selection of members in this sampling technique happens based on a pre-set
standard. In this case, as a sample is formed based on specific attributes, the created
sample will have the same qualities found in the total population. It is a rapid
method of collecting samples.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 24
 Uses of non-probability sampling
 Create a hypothesis
 Exploratory research( qualitative research methods)
 Budget and time constraints

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 25
 How do you decide on the type of sampling
to use?
 Jot down the research goals. Generally, it must be a combination of cost, precision,
or accuracy.
 Identify the effective sampling techniques that might potentially achieve the
research goals.
 Test each of these methods and examine whether they help in achieving your goal.
 Select the method that works best for the research.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 26
 Difference between probability sampling
and non-probability sampling methods

Alternatively Random sampling Non-random

Known as . method sampling method

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 27
 Difference between probability sampling
and non-probability sampling methods

Population The population is The population is

selection selected randomly. selected arbitrarily.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 28
 Difference between probability sampling
and non-probability sampling methods

Nature The research is The research is

conclusive. exploratory.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 29
 Difference between probability sampling
and non-probability sampling methods

Sample . Since there is a method for Since the sampling method is

deciding the sample, the arbitrary, the population
population demographics are demographics representation
conclusively represented is almost always skewed. .

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 30
 Difference between probability sampling
and non-probability sampling methods

Time Taken Takes longer to conduct This type of sampling

since the research design method is quick since
defines the selection neither the sample or
parameters before the selection criteria of the
market research study sample are undefined
begins.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 31
 Difference between probability sampling
and non-probability sampling methods

Results This type of sampling is This type of sampling is

entirely unbiased and hence entirely biased and hence
the results are unbiased too the results are biased too,
and conclusive. rendering the research
speculative.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 32
 Difference between probability sampling
and non-probability sampling methods

Hypothesis . In probability sampling, In non-probability

there is an underlying
hypothesis before the study
begins and the objective of
this method is to prove the
hypothesis
sampling, the hypothesis is
derived after conducting the
research study.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 33
 Situation sampling
  involves the study of behavior in many different locations, and under different
circumstances and conditions. By sampling different situations, researchers
reduce the chance that the results they obtain will be particular to a certain set of
circumstances or conditions.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 34
 Event/Time sampling
  recording data every time a behavior from your behaviour categories occurs.
Event: less likely to miss pre-defined events.
  is used to sample behaviour in observational research. It is where an observer
records the number of times a certain behaviour occurs.
 A quick way to study the behavior of one or two children is. In the time-
sampling method behavior is recorded at regular, preset interval.

Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 35
Mehwish. E 12/20/2022 36