Uma

Simple random sampling

This sampling design is best when the generalizability of the findings to the whole
population is the main objective of the study.
*table
Creswell
The population and sample
The essential aspects of the population and sample to describe in a research plan:
1. Identify the population in the study. Also state the size of this population, if
the size can determined, and the means of identifying individuals in the
population.
2. Identify whether the sampling design for this population is single stage or
multistage.
3. Identify the selection process for individuals. Selecting random sample, in
which each individual in the population has an equal probability of being
selected. With randomization, a representative sample from a population
provides the ability to generalize to a population.
4. Identify whether the study will involve stratification of the population before
selecting the sample. This requires that characteristics of the population
members be known so that the population can be stratified first before
selecting the sample (fowler,2009). Stratification means that specific
characteristics of individuals are represented in the sample and the sample
reflects the true proportion in the population of individuals with certain
characteristics. When randomly selecting people from a population, these
characteristics may or may not be present in the sample in the same
proportions as in the population.
5. Discuss the procedures for selecting the sample from available lists. The most
rigorous method for selecting the sample is to choose individuals using a
random sampling (gravetter & wallnau ,2009)
6. Indicate the number of people in the sample and the procedures used to
compute this number. In Survey research, investigators often choose a
sample size based on selecting a fraction of the population, select the size
that is usually or typical based on past studies, or base the sample size
simply on the margin of error they are willing to tolarate.
Gliner&morgan& leech
Sampling is the process of selecting part of a larger group of participants with
the intent of generalizing from the sample to the population.
Advantages of sampling
Selecting less than the total population is an advantage for researchers for
several reasons . First, it is less expensive to send survey to a smaller group of
people than to a large number. Second,it clearly takes less time to study a

sample of participants than it would to study a whole population. Third,better

quality control can be obtained if one has a reasonable amount of time to devote
to the assessment of each participant rather than trying to spread oneself too
thin over a larger group.
Key concepts of sampling
1. Participants , cases, or elements. These are the people or objects or events
that are of interest in a particular study.
2. Theoretical or target population. This includes all of the participants of
theoretical interest to the researcher and to which he or she would like to
generalize.
3. Accessible population . As the name implies , the accessible population
is the group of participants to which the researcher has access ,
perhaps through a telephone directory or membership list. The accessible
population also might be an organization or group which the researcher
has entry.
4. Selected sample. This is the smaller group of participants selected from
the larger accessible population by the researcher and asked to
participate in the study . The selection can be performed in a number
of different ways as described under types of sampling.
5. Actual sample. These are the participants that complete the study and
whose data are actually used in the data analysis and in the report of
the studys results . The ratio of the size of the actual sample to the
selected sample is known as the response rate . Thus, in evaluating
research it is important to know the response rate and to know
whether the responders were similar to nonresponders.
Steps in selecting a sample
There are many ways to select a sample from a population. The goal is to
have a actual sample that is representative of the target or theoretical
population . A representative sample is a sample that represents the
population.
1. The first step is from the theoretical population to the accessible
population .
2. The second step in the sampling process is called the sampling design or
selection of participants. This step, between the accessible population and
the selected sample, is the step that usually described in the methods section
of articles and is the step over which the researcher has the most control.
3. The third step takes place between the selected sample and the actual
sample.
Sampling designs
The sampling design is the procedure or process used to select the sample.
There are two general types of sampling design which is probability and non
probability sampling techniques.

In probability sampling involves the selection of participants in a way that is

nonbiased. In a probability sample every participant or element of the population
has a known, non zero probability of being chosen to be a member of the
sample.
Types of probability sampling
When probability sampling is used, inferential statistics enable researchers to
make an estimate of the extent to which results based on the sample are likely
to differ from what we would have found by studying the entire population.
Simple random sampling
The best known and the basic of the probability sampling techniques is simple
random sample, which cab defined as a sample in which all participants or
elements have an equal and independent chance of being included in the
sample . Each participant has an equal and independent chance of being
selected or picked and to be asked to participate in the study. This type of
probability sample will produce a representative sample if the number of
participants selected is relatively large. However , if the number selected is
small, the sample might not be a small replica of the total population.
In an actual research study the researcher would draw or select random sample
using a random number table or computer generator of random numbers.
Although the simple random sample is the prototype of a probability sampling
method, it is used infrequently, in part because it may be time consuming to
number the entire list, if it is long. Also, many times there is no list of the
population of interest. A more frequent equivalent of the simple random sample
is systematic sampling with a random start. To use either simple random or
systematic random sampling, the population has to be finite, and there has to be
a list or directory of persons in the population.