STUDY POPULATION

AND SAMPLING
TECHNIQUES

By
Okite Moses
Session flow

• Introduction
• Study Population
• The concept of sampling
• External validity
• Sample size
• Sampling techniques
Introduction

• It is important to note that the method of

selecting a sample is critical to the whole
research process.
• If an appropriate sampling technique is not
used, then the research findings cannot be
generalized beyond the study sample and it
is just a waste of time.
Study Population.
A population (N) is a complete collection or
universe of all elements/units that are of
interest in a particular investigation.
It is the entire group of persons or elements
that have at least one thing in common or who
have information/data you need.
It’s a specific, complete group relevant to the
research investigation/project.
It is the entire set of objects, things and people
under consideration in an investigation. For
example you may be studying employee job
satisfaction in the operation wealth creation
project and the total number of staff in the
project is 300. This implies your study
population is 300.
Population and sample
• Target population- this is the population to
which the researcher ultimately wants to
generalize his/her results
• Sampled population- this is the accessible
population. It is the population from which
the sample will be drawn.
• A Sample: is a collection of some (a subset)
elements of a population that take part in
the study. It is part of the population that
will be considered for the study/research.
• An effective sample should be accessible,
knowledgeable, representative and diverse.
Sampling frame

• Can be thought of as a list of all people

relevant to the study.
• This is the target population.
Sampling
• Sampling: is the process of selecting elements from a
population in such a way that the sample elements
selected represent the study population.
• It is a procedure by which some members of a given
population are selected to participate in a given study.
• Its an act, process or technique of selecting a suitable
sample.
• A sample is therefore part of the target (or accessible)
population that has been procedurally selected to
represent it.

• NB. To obtain a representative sample, the researcher

should consider the characteristics of the target
population when the sampling is done.
Why it is Necessary to Sample

• Shorten the time that would otherwise be

spent studying the whole population.
• Reduce costs since fewer cases and resources
are required than if the whole population
was used.
• Gain greater accuracy in data collection and
analysis, since few people are involved either
as subjects or as participants.
Limitations of sampling
• It is merely an estimate and no matter how
accurate and exhaustive, it can never
comprehensively describe the population.
• In studies where the treatment leads to
destruction of the sampling units, sampling
becomes very uneconomical, for it should
involve almost everybody.
• The selected elements may not be
representative of the population especially
when the sample size is small.
• Some elements may not be accessible.
Steps in the sampling process
Sampling process involves five steps
• Defining the population
• List the elements of the population(sample
frame)
• Determine the appropriate sampling
methodology
• Decide on the appropriate sample size
• Select a representative sample
Sampling Techniques
There are two main ways of selecting study
samples from the target population:
• Probabilistic/representative sampling; this
provides us with the basis for statistical
inference.
• Non-probabilistic/non representative
sampling techniques; is based on the
subjective judgement of the researcher.
Types of samples
Representative sample:
This is a sample which is not biased. It is similar
to the population in all important ways.
It is a sample that gives generalisable findings
(these are findings that apply to situations
other than those of the cases in the study)
It is a sample selected in such away that gives
every element in the population a chance to be
selected.
Technically the study posses ‘external validity’
 Non-representative samples

• These are samples that are Not truly

representative of the target population.
• The sample is based on the subjective
judgment of the researcher.
• Here the researcher decides on the elements
to be included in the sample
• Less desirable than probability samples.
 What is external validity
• External validity is the extent to which you can
generalize your findings to a larger group or other
contexts.
• If your research lacks external validity, the
research can not be applied to contexts other
than the one in which you carried out your
research.
• For example. if the subjects in your study are all
males in the age bracket(18 to 25) living in
Kampala, your findings might not apply to females
in the same age group living in kampala.
Determining Sample size
 It is a very important issue because samples that are too
large may waste time, resources and money while samples
that are too small may lead to inaccurate results.
 Two methods are commonly used to arrive at a sample
size when using representative sampling techniques .
 These are : Table for determining sample size from a given
population by krejcie and morgan sampling frame (1970).

 And The Sloven’s Formula:

n = N/[ 1+N (e) 2 ] Where; n=sample size; e = the

proportion of sampling error.

N=Population
 Classification of Sampling
Methods
Sampling
Methods

Probability Non-
Samples probability

Systematic Stratified Convenience Snowball

Simple
Cluster Judgment Quota
Random
 Types of Representative
/Probabilistic Sampling
Simple Random Sampling.
• Each individual in the population of interest has an
equal likelihood and or chance of selection.
• Each possible sample of a given size(n) has a
known and equal probability of being the sample
actually selected.
• Every element is selected independently of every
other elements
• It can be done in two ways by use of lottery
method (with or without replacement) or use of
random numbers
Simple Random Sampling Cont’d
Advantage of Simple Random Sampling.
• Its simple and convenient.
• Saves time.
Disadvantages of simple random sampling
• Bias in selection is common
• Some samples may be over or under
represented.
• There is a high non response error i.e same
of the selected elements may not be traced
Systematic Random sampling
 The sample is chosen by selecting a random
starting point and then picking every i th element in
succession from the sampling frame.
 The sampling interval, (i) is determined by dividing
the population size(N) by the sample size (n) and
rounding to the nearest, if it not a full number e.g
you want to study 50 teachers out of 500. 500/50=
10. ten becomes your interval. Every tenth teacher
will be selected.
 This technique is used when the target population
is relatively large.

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 Stratified Sampling
• This involves dividing your population into
homogenous subgroups (strata) and take a
simple random in each sub group.
• Steps
1.Identify and define the population.
2.Determine the desired sample size.
3.Identify the sub group (strata)
4.Classify all members of the population as
members of the identified sub groups
5.Randomly select the sample (can use SRS)
Cont’d

• The strata should be mutually exclusive and

collectively exhaustive. In that every
population element should be assigned to
one and only one stratum and no population
elements should be omitted

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Types of Stratified random sampling

 Proportionate stratified random sampling; taking

proportionate samples from strata Example. out
200 UNRA employees 80 are ladies 120 men and
you want a sample of 40. computation
80/200 =2/5 (80/5=16) ladies, 480/200=24
gentlemen)
 Disproportionate stratified random sampling. you
take samples that is not proportionate e.g. 10
ladies and 10 gentlemen or more ladies if
interested in female related issues

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Cluster random sampling
• This is a sampling methodology in which
elements of a population are grouped into
clusters and random sampling technique is
then performed on clusters.
• Clustering is similar to stratification in that
both involve partitioning the population into
subgroups.
• It is different in that the sampling cluster is
heterogeneous.
• Mostly used in geographical instances where
the population is scattered.
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 Types of Non-representative/non
probabilistic samples

• Quota Sampling
• In this type of sampling the researcher is given
definite instructions about the section of the public
he is to question,
• However the final choice of the actual persons is
left to his own convenience and is not
predetermined
 Judgmental sampling

Also referred to as Purposive sampling

• Non-representative subset of some larger
population
• Constructed to serve a very specific need or
purpose.
• The researcher chooses subjects who in his
opinion are likely to supply information
relevant to the research problem
 Snowball Sample

• Snowball sampling is where research

participants recruit other participants for a
test or study
• A snowball sample is achieved by asking a
study participants to suggest someone willing
or appropriate for the study.
• Snowball samples are particularly useful in
hard-to-track populations
 Convenience or Accidental Sampling

• This is a sampling technique, where subjects

are selected because of their convenient
accessibility and proximity to the researcher.
• In this method respondents are selected
because they happen to be in the right place at
the right time.
• One of the most common examples of
convenience sampling is using student
volunteers as subjects for the research.
 Representative Sampling techniques
Sampling Meaning Strengths Weaknesses
Technique
Simple Random Selects a sample at Ideal procedure for selecting a  Easily affected by
Sampling without bias from the representative sample. attrition.
accessible/target  Can be expensive in some
population in such a way studies.
that each unit has an
equal and independent
chance of being included
in the sample.
Stratified Identifies subgroups in  Subgroups are  Sub-group characteristics
Random the population and their proportionately must be known.
Sampling proportions and then represented.  Logistics of selection are
select individuals from  Accounts for the complex.
each sub group to form a difference in subgroup
sample. characteristics.
 Less accurate than simple
Cluster Selects group rather than Saves time and money. random sampling because
Sampling individual members. there is more than one
sampling error.
 Data analysis requires
unconventional means.
Select every nth member Easy and cheaper to implement  List must be randomized
Systematic of a population from a than simple random sampling. to avoid periodicity.
Sampling randomized list of the
population.
 Non representative Sampling techniques
 Selects typical
Purposive The researcher decides and useful cases Cannot produce
Sampling who to include in the only. representative sample.
sample.  Saves time and
money.
 Collects data at
Convenience Selects, on first come the spur of the Cannot produce a
/accidental first served basis, those moment. representative sample.
Sampling who happen to be  Takes advantage
available. of unexpected
events.
Selects quota/ section of  Saves time and Cannot produce a
Quota public then elements money. representative sample.
Sampling within the group. - Substitutes for
SRS.
Selects a sample on the The only way to Cannot produce a
Snowball basis of social networks locate subjects representative sample.
Sampling and the fact that friends who are difficult to
tend to have similar trace.
characteristics.
Class Exercise.
Trained teachers are expected to apply quality
work, however many teachers working in public
secondary schools in Uganda appear to be
applying ineffective teaching practices that are
reportedly already hurting the learning processes
of many students in the country. According to the
MoESTS(2014, 2015) and UNEB (2014, 2015), most
teachers in secondary schools in Uganda hardly
use the recommended learners centered methods
of delivery and neither do they regularly conduct
practical lessons nor carry out effective student
assessments and systematic scheming
 Of their work as well as lesson planning. these
practices, UNEB (2015) points out, are already causing
many candidates to perform poorly in the national
Uganda certificate of education and Uganda advance
certificate of education (UCE) examination, yet DES
and local school authorities are there to supervise the
teachers in their work.
Required
1.If the research is to be carried out across the country,
explain how you will select your sample.
2.What would be the most appropriate research design
for this study.
3.Discuss, (a) the data collection method and (b) data
collection instruments for the study.
Class Exercise 2.

• If you are investigation the factors affecting

the performance Public servants in Uganda.
Describe how you would select the sample
for the study.
• What would be the most appropriate
research design for this study.
• Discuss the challenges you anticipate to
encounter in the process of selecting the
sample.
 END

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