Sampling

Learning Objectives

 Understand the importance of sampling

 Differentiate between random and non-random sampling
 Understand the concept of sampling and non-sampling
errors
 Understand the concept of sampling distribution and the
application of central limit theorem
 Understand sampling distribution of sample proportion
 Sampling
A researcher generally takes a small portion of the
population for study, which is referred to as
sample. The process of selecting a sample from
the population is called sampling.
Why Sampling ?
 Sampling saves time.
 Sampling saves money.
 When the research process is destructive in nature, sampling minimizes
the destruction.
 Sampling broadens the scope of the study in light of the scarcity of
resources.
 It has been noticed that sampling provides more accurate results, as
compared to census because in sampling, non-sampling errors can be
controlled more easily.
 In most cases complete census is not possible and, hence, sampling is
the only option left.
Steps in the sampling design process

Target population
Sampling frame

Sampling Technique

Sample Size

Execution of Sampling
Sampling Design Process
Step 1: Target population must be defined
 Target population is the collection of the objects
which possess the information required by the
researcher and about which an inference is to be
made.
Step 2: Sampling frame must be determined
 A researcher takes a sample from a population list,
directory, map, city directory, or any other source
used to represent the population. This list possesses
the information about the subjects and is called the
sampling frame.
 Sampling is carried out from the sampling frame
and not from the target population.
Sampling Design Process (Contd.)
Step 3: Appropriate sampling technique must be selected
 In sampling with replacement, an element is selected from
the frame, required information is obtained, and then the
element is placed back in the frame. This way, there is a
possibility of the element being selected again in the
sample.
 As compared to this, in sampling without replacement, an
element is selected from the frame and not replaced in the
frame. This way, the possibility of further inclusion of the
element in the sample is eliminated.
Step 4: Sample size must be determined
 Sample size refers to the number of elements to be included
in the study.
Step 5: Sampling process must be executed
Random and non-random sampling methods

Sampling

Random Non Random

Sampling Sampling
 Random Versus Non-random Sampling

 In random sampling, each unit of the

population has the same probability (chance)
of being selected as part of the sample.

 In non-random sampling, members of the

sample are not selected by chance. Some other
factors like familiarity of the researcher with
the subject, convenience, etc. are the basis of
selection
 Random sampling

Random
Sampling

Simple
Stratified Cluster Systematic
Random Sampling Sampling
Sampling
Sampling
 Non-random sampling

Non Random
Sampling

Quota Convenience Judgment Snowball

Sampling Sampling Sampling Sampling
 Random Sampling Methods

 Simple Random Sampling

 In simple random sampling, each member of the population has

an equal chance of being included in the sample.

 Stratified Random Sampling

 In stratified random sampling, elements in the population are

divided into homogeneous groups called strata.
 Then, researchers use the simple random sampling method to
select a sample from each of the strata. Each group is called
stratum.
 In stratified random sampling, stratum should be relatively
homogenous and the strata should contrast with each other.
 In cases where the percentage
of sample taken from each
stratum is proportionate to the Matriculate
actual percentage of the
stratum within the whole
population, stratified sampling Heterogeneity
Graduate between
is termed as proportionate
stratified sampling.
 In cases where the sample Post
taken from each stratum is Graduate
disproportionate to the actual
percentage of the stratum
within the whole population,
disproportionate stratified Stratified random sampling based on
educational levels
random sampling occurs.
Random Sampling Methods (Contd.)
 Cluster (or Area) Sampling
 In cluster sampling, we divide the population into non-
overlapping areas or clusters.
 In stratified sampling, strata happen to be homogenous but in
cluster sampling, clusters are internally heterogeneous.
 A cluster contains a wide range of elements and is a good
representative of the population.

Population

Cluster1 Cluster2 Cluster3

Cluster Sampling
Systematic Sampling

 In systematic sampling, sample elements are selected

from the population at uniform intervals in terms of
time, order, or space.
 A researcher wants to take a sample of size 30 from a
population of size 900 and he has decided to use
systematic sampling for this purpose.
 For obtaining the sample, the first member can be
selected randomly and after that every 30th member of
the population is included in the sample. Suppose the
first element 3 is selected randomly and after this,
every 30th element, that is, 33rd, 63rd, … element up
to a sample size of 30 are included in the sample.
Multi-Stage Sampling

 As the name indicates, multistage sampling involves the selection

of units in more than one stage.

 Stage 1- States
 Stage2- Districts
Stage 3- Cities
Stage 4- blocks

Multi-stage (four stages) sampling

Non-Random Sampling

Sampling techniques where selection of the sampling units is not

based on a random selection process are called nonrandom sampling
techniques.
 Quota Sampling
 In quota sampling, certain subclasses, such as age, gender,
income group, and education level are used as strata. Stratified
random sampling is based on the concept of randomly
selecting units from the stratum.
 However, in case of quota sampling, a researcher uses non-
random sampling methods to gather data from one stratum
until the required quota fixed by the researcher is fulfilled.
 Convenience Sampling
 In convenience sampling, sample elements are selected based
on the convenience of a researcher.
 Non-Random Sampling (Contd.)

 Judgment Sampling
 In judgment sampling, selection of the
sampling units is based on the judgment
of a researcher.

 Snowball Sampling

 In snowball sampling, survey

respondents are selected on the basis of
referrals from other survey respondents.
 Sampling and Non-Sampling Errors

Sampling Error
Sampling error occurs when the sample is not a true representative of the
population. In complete enumeration, sampling errors are not present.

Sampling errors can occur due to some specific reasons:

 Faulty selection of the sample.
 Sometimes due to the difficulty in selection a particular sampling unit,
researchers try to substitute that sampling unit with another sampling
unit which is easy to be surveyed.
 Sometimes researchers demarcate sampling units wrongly and hence,
provide scope for committing sampling errors.
 Sampling and Non-sampling Errors (Contd.)

Non-Sampling Errors
All errors other than sampling can be included in the category of
non-sampling errors.

The following are some common non-sampling errors:

 Faulty designing and planning of survey
 Response errors
 Non-response bias
 Errors in coverage
 Compiling error and publication error
Sampling Distribution

 Let us take a small finite population

of size N = 6. Elements of the
population are as below:
25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50

 take a sample of size 2 from this

population with replacement.
Central Limit Theorem
 A population has a mean μ and standard deviation σ. If a sample
of size n is drawn from the population for sufficiently large
sample size (n ≥ 30); the sample means are approximately
normally distributed regardless of the shape of the population
distribution. If the population is normally distributed, the sample
means are normally distributed, for any size of the sample.
 In case where sample means are normally distributed, z formula
applied to sample mean will be

x
z

n
 Example

The distribution of the annual earnings of

the employees of a cement factory is
negatively skewed. This distribution has a
mean of Rs 25,000 and standard deviation
of Rs 3000. If a researcher draws a random
sample of size 50, what is the probability
that their average earnings will be more
than Rs 26,000?
 Sampling from a Finite Population

Above example is based on the assumption that the

population is extremely large or infinite. In case of a
finite population, a statistical adjustment called finite
correction factor can be incorporated into the z formula
for sample mean.

N n
Finite correction Factor 
N 1