SAMPLING METHODS

CHRISTIAN BENEDICT, RN

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

Introduction
• A sample is a portion or part of the population of interest.
• Examples: Population : All the banks in Weija Gbawe
• Sample: Some banks of Weija Gbawe
• Sampling is more feasible than studying the entire population

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

REASONS TO SAMPLE
• 1- To contact the whole population would be time consuming.
• 2- The cost of studying all the items in a population may be
prohibitive.
• 3- The physical impossibility of checking all items in the population.
• 4- The destructive nature of some tests.
• 5 - The sample results are adequate

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

Parameter and Statistic
• If a characteristic (for example the mean) is computed using the
population) we call it parameter
• But if the characteristic is derived using the sample then we call it
statistic

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

SAMPLING UNITS
• The units may be people, households, villages, sites, tribes, animals,
patients, hospitals, pharmacies,….The units are the items of interest
• The list of all units of the population is called the sampling frame
• This sampling frame is sometimes difficult to obtain.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

How to select a sample ?

• The procedure by which the units that will be in the sample are
selected from the population is called the sample design.
• The usual inference problem in sampling is to estimate some
summary characteristics, such as the mean of the population, after
observing only the sample.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

A- NON PROBABILITY SAMPLING
METHODS
• Non probability sampling is that sampling procedure which does not
afford any basis for estimating the probability that each unit in the
population has of being selected. In non probability sampling, the
researcher has no way of guaranteeing that each element of the
population will be represented in the sample.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

1- CONVENIENCE SAMPLING
• Also Known as accidental sampling takes people or other units that
are readily available.
• The sampling units are selected deliberately by the researcher. The
sample is identified by convenience
• Example: selecting the first customers who arrive in a shop or in a
bank.
• Deliberate sampling

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

2-PURPOSIVE SAMPLING
• In purposive sampling the units are selected for a particular purpose.
• The researcher should explain the rationale for selecting that
particular sample.
• The selection of participants is often directed by an authority who has
prior knowledge of the study demographic
• Example: Selecting people who belong to a given category

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3- QUOTA SAMPLING

• In Quota sampling we select the units in the same proportion than

they are found in the general population.
• This type of sampling takes into account the size of each category of
the population.
• An alloted number of participants is then selected from each quota
using a non random approach (convenience)

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

4-SNOWBALL SAMPLING

• In snowball sampling, the researcher relies first on a small number of

units and then use those units to get other units and so on.. until the
required number of units for the sample is obtained.
• Participants are recruited by fellow participants
• This sampling method relies more on networking.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

5- DOUBLE BLIND SAMPLING
• In this sampling, the participants are selected by a neutral person who
is not part of the study
• The participant is introduced to the study and remains unseen by the
researcher (or the interviewer)
• Both participant and interviewer participate in the study without
seeing or knowing each other
B-PROBABILITY SAMPLING
• If the sample is selected by a chance mechanism so that there is no
favoritism by the sampler nor self-selection (volunteerism) by the
respondents, the sample is called a probability sample.
• Probability samples can be used to make objective inferences about
the characteristics of the population. It is not the case for
nonprobability sampling plans.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

Sampling with or without replacement
• They are two types of random sampling:
- Random sampling with replacement : the sampling units are
replaced after each draw.
- Random sampling without replacement: the sampling units are not
replaced after each draw.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING (SRS)
• A sample is selected so that each item or person in the population
has the same chance of being included (probability sampling)

• More appropriate to say procedure that ensures each sample of

given size has the same chance of being selected

• Condition: population homogenous; sample frame known (i.e. units

can be identified)

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Example
Example: We want a sample of 5 students from this classroom of 40
students.
Write the name of each of the students (40) in this room on a small
slip of paper and deposit all the slips in a box .

Mix the slips thoroughly and then ask an innocent hand to select the
first slip. Repeat the process until you get the 5 names. This sampling
method is the simple random sampling.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

Using random numbers from a table
• Another method of selecting a random sample is to use a table of
random numbers.

• Show an example of table of random numbers and illustrate the

process.
• The numbers are generated by a random process.

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Using the Computer (software)

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STRATIFIED RANDOM SAMPLING
• When a population can be clearly divided into groups based on some
characteristics, the stratified random sampling can be used to
guarantee that each group is represented in the sample. The groups
are also called strata.

For example participants in this room could be divided as male and

female.
• Once the strata are defined , we can apply simple random sampling
for each group or strata to collect the sample.

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Strata sizes
• Given n sample size
• Determine how many to be observed from each stratum
• Equal allocation (all strata have approx same number of units
selected)
• Proportional allocation (to size)
• Proportional to size and variance
• Optimum allocation (consider size, variance and cost)

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

Stratefied Random Sampling
• In a stratified random sample , a population is divided into
subgroups, called strata, and a sample is randomly selected from each
stratum.

• Application:
• Illustrate the principle of stratification with an example.

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SYSTEMATIC RANDOM SAMPLING
• A random starting point is selected, and then every kth member of
the population is selected

k = (Population size/ Sample size) = N/n

k is called sampling interval

Example : Consider the example above and illustrate the process.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

Illustrate Systematic
• Determine popualation size, N
• Determine sample size, n
• Determine interval, k = N/n (least integer)

• Select starting unit: Select 1st random number between 1 and N,

• then every kth member from this unit.
• Note: The starting unit is pat of the final sample

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

For probability sampling
• When selecting a sample one should be very careful that the sample
is a fair representation of the population. In other words the sample
must be unbiased.

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Problem with Systematic
• Error computation -
• Effect of systematic trend –
• reduce size of interval,
• use independent systematic random sample starts(stratification)

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CLUSTER SAMPLING
• A population is divided into clusters using naturally occuring
geographic or other boundaries.
• Then ‘n’ clusters are randomly selected
• And then observe ALL units in selected clusters.
• Clusters may be of equal or unequal sizes.

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MULTISTAGE SAMPLING
• Consider difficulty of observing all members of selected clusters
• First select a sample of primary units (say n), then select a sample of
secondary units from each of the selected primary units (say, m or
mi).

• Illustrate by an example :

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SAMPLING ERROR
• Sampling error is the difference between an estimate of a population
and the true population parameter being estimated.

• Non sampling error includes all errors in data collection, processing &
estimation except sampling error (frame error, non response error,
specification error, measurement error, processing error).

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SAMPLE SIZE
• What is the sample size required to ensure that the study results can
be relied upon to make generalizations?
• Two statistical concepts that effect decision on sample size:
- Precision (how precise do we need to be in estimating the
characteristic?)
- Population Variability (how variable is the population with respect to
the characteristic of interest?)

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MAIN CRITERIA TO CONSIDER IN
SAMPLE SZE DETERMINATION
• Required level of precision and,
• How variable is the population with respect to the characteristic of
interest
• Structure of the units of study
• Level of aggregation at which the results are to be presented
• The resources available for collecting the data
• Final decision should be based on trade –offs among all the above
elements

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing

• Quote ’ Making your own sampling decision based on careful thought
and detailed planning is a positive challenge:dialogue with some
people experienced in sampling issues is often a great help to ensure
the proposal covers all the necessary issues in a sensible way, and we
would advocate that at least one of them should be a sympathic
statistician.

04/30/2024 St Karol School of Nursing