QUALITATIVE AND

QUANTITATIVE
SAMPLING...
PART - 2
PROBABILITY
SAMPLING
Probability Sampling
 The large pool is the population from which a
researcher draws a sample.

 Target population is the specific pool of cases that

he or she wants to study.

 Sampling Element is the unit of analysis or case in

a population.
Population and Elements
Cont…
 The ratio of the size of the sample to the size of the
target population is the Sampling Ratio or the
proportion of the population in a sample.

 Sampling Frame is the list of cases in a population .

 A characteristic of the entire population that is

estimated from a sample is called Parameter.
Why Random?
 Random Sample is a sample in which the researcher
uses a random number table or similar mathematical
random process so that each sampling element in
the population will have an equal probability of
being selected.

 The Sampling Error is how much a sample deviates

from being representative of the population.
PROBABILITY SAMPLING
TECHNIQUES
Simple Random Sampling
◦ A random sample in which a researcher creates a
sampling frame and uses a pure random process to
select cases so that each sampling element in the
population will have an equal probability of being
selected.
◦ Sampling distribution
◦ Central limit theorem
◦ Confidence interval
Simple Random Sampling
◦ Advantages
Minimal knowledge of population needed
External validity high; internal validity high
Easy to analyze data
◦ Disadvantages
 High cost; low frequency of use

 Requires sampling frame

 Does not use researchers’ expertise

 Larger risk of random error

Systematic Random Sampling
◦ A random sample in which a researcher selects every kth
(e.g., 12th) case in the sampling frame using a sampling
interval.
Sampling interval is the inverse of the sampling ratio.
 Assumes that the population is randomly ordered.
◦ number units in population from 1 to N
◦ decide on the n that you want or need
◦ N/n=k the interval size
◦ randomly select a number from 1 to k
◦ then take every kth unit
 Some Definitions

◦ N = the number of cases in the sampling frame

◦ n = the number of cases in the sample
 Systematic Random
1 26 51
76
2 27 52

Sampling 3
77
28
78
53

N = 100 4 29 54
79
5 30 55
80
want n = 20 6 31 56
81
7 32 57
N/n = 5 82
8 33 58
83
9 34 59
select a random number from 1-5: chose 84
10 35 60
4 85
11 36 61
86
12 37 62
start with #4 and take every 5th unit 87
13 38 63
88
14 39 64
Systematic Sampling
◦ Advantages
Moderate cost; moderate usage
External validity high; internal validity high
Simple to draw sample; easy to verify
◦ Disadvantages

Periodic ordering
Requires sampling frame
Stratified Random Sampling
◦ A random sample in which the researcher:
◦ Identifies a set of mutually exclusive and exhaustive
categories
◦ Divides the sampling frame by the categories
◦ Uses random selection to select cases from each
category.
 Stratified Random Sampling

Sample Frame

Strata

Random Subsamples of n/N

How?
1.Identify variable(s) as an efficient basis for
stratification. Must be known to be related to
dependent variable. Usually a categorical variable.

2.Complete list of population elements must be

obtained.

3.Use randomization to take a simple random sample

from each stratum
Proportionate vs. Disproportionate
Stratified Random Sampling
 Proportionate: if sampling fraction is equal for each
stratum.
 Disproportionate: unequal sampling fraction in each
stratum.
 Often needed to enable better representation of
smaller segments of the population (e.g., minority
groups).
Stratified Sampling
◦ Advantages
Assures representation of all groups in sample population
needed
Characteristics of each stratum can be estimated and
comparisons made
Reduces variability

◦ Disadvantages
 Requires accurate information on proportions of each stratum
 Stratified lists are costly to prepare
Cluster Sampling
A type of random sample that uses multiple stages and is
often used to cover wide geographic areas in which
aggregated units are randomly selected and then
samples are drawn from the sampled aggregated units, or
clusters.
The primary sampling unit is not the individual element
in the population but a large cluster of elements.
◦ divide population into clusters
◦ randomly sample clusters
◦ measure units within sampled clusters
Types of Cluster Samples
Area sample:
 Primary sampling unit is a geographical area
Multistage area sample:
 Combination of two or more types of probability sampling
techniques.
 Typically, progressively smaller geographical areas are
randomly selected in a series of steps
 Cluster Sampling
Advantages
◦
Low cost/high frequency of use
Requires list of all clusters, but only of individuals within chosen
clusters
Can estimate characteristics of both cluster and population

Disadvantages
◦

 Larger error for comparable size than other probability methods

 Multistage method is very expensive and validity depends on

other methods used
Within-household Sampling
◦ Use a selection table
Random-Digit Dialing
 How Large Should My Sample Be?
◦ A researcher’s decision about the best sample size depends on three things:
1) The degree of accuracy required,
2) The degree of variability or diversity in the population, and
3) The number of different variables examined simultaneously in data
analysis.
Assumption
Rule of thumb
 Procedural
G power
Method
Sample size
Sample
Populations
calculators