CHAPTER 6

5. Sampling and Sampling Technique

Definitions:
1. Parameter: Characteristic or measure obtained from a population.
2. Statistic: Characteristic or measure obtained from a sample.
3. Sampling: The process or method of sample selection from the
population.
4. Sampling unit: the ultimate unit to be sampled or elements of the
population to be sampled.
Examples:
- If some body studies Scio-economic status of the households,
households are the sampling unit.
- If one studies performance of freshman students in some college,
the student is the sampling unit.
5. Sampling frame: is the list of all elements in a population.
Examples:
- List of households.
- List of students in the registrar office.
6. Errors in sample survey:
There are two types of errors
a) Sampling error:
- Is the discrepancy between the population value and sample
value?
- May arise due to in appropriate sampling techniques applied
b) Non sampling errors: are errors due to procedure bias such as:
- Due to incorrect responses
- Measurement
- Errors at different stages in processing the data.
The Need for Sampling
- Reduced cost
- Greater speed
- Greater accuracy
- Greater scope
- More detailed information can be obtained.

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 - There are two types of sampling.
1. Random Sampling or probability sampling.
- Is a method of sampling in which all elements in the population have a
pre-assigned non-zero probability to be included in to the sample.
Examples:
 Simple random sampling
 Stratified random sampling
 Cluster sampling
 Systematic sampling
1. Simple Random Sampling:
- Is a method of selecting items from a population such that every
possible sample of specific size has an equal chance of being selected.
In this case, sampling may be with or without replacement. Or
- All elements in the population have the same pre-assigned non-zero
probability to be included in to the sample.
- Simple random sampling can be done either using the lottery method
or table of random numbers.
2. Stratified Random Sampling:
- The population will be divided in to non-overlapping but exhaustive
groups called strata.
- Simple random samples will be chosen from each stratum.
- Elements in the same strata should be more or less homogeneous while
different in different strata.
- It is applied if the population is heterogeneous.
- Some of the criteria for dividing a population into strata are: Sex (male,
female); Age (under 18, 18 to 28, 29 to 39); Occupation (blue-collar,
professional, other).
3. Cluster Sampling:
- The population is divided in to non-overlapping groups called clusters.
- A simple random sample of groups or cluster of elements is chosen and
all the sampling units in the selected clusters will be surveyed.
- Clusters are formed in a way that elements with in a cluster are
heterogeneous, i.e. observations in each cluster should be more or less
dissimilar.

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 - Cluster sampling is useful when it is difficult or costly to generate a
simple random sample. For example, to estimate the average annual
household income in a large city we use cluster sampling, because to
use simple random sampling we need a complete list of households in
the city from which to sample. To use stratified random sampling, we
would again need the list of households. A less expensive way is to let
each block within the city represent a cluster. A sample of clusters
could then be randomly selected, and every household within these
clusters could be interviewed to find the average annual household
income.
4. Systematic Sampling:
- A complete list of all elements with in the population (sampling frame)
is required.
- The procedure starts in determining the first element to be included in
the sample.
- Then the technique is to take the kth item from the sampling frame.
- Let
N
N  population size, n  sample size, k   sampling int erval.
n

- Chose any number between 1 and k . Suppose it is j (1  j  k ) .

- The j unit is selected at first and then ( j  k ) , ( j  2k ) ,....etc
th th th

until the required sample size is reached.

2. Non Random Sampling or non-probability sampling.
- It is a sampling technique in which the choice of individuals for a sample
depends on the basis of convenience, personal choice or interest.
Examples:
 Judgment sampling.
 Convenience sampling
 Quota Sampling.
1. Judgment Sampling
- In this case, the person taking the sample has direct or indirect control
over which items are selected for the sample.
2. Convenience Sampling
- In this method, the decision maker selects a sample from the
population in a manner that is relatively easy and convenient.

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 3. Quota Sampling
- In this method, the decision maker requires the sample to contain a
certain number of items with a given characteristic. Many political
polls are, in part, quota sampling.
Note:
let N  population size, n  sample size.
1. Suppose simple random sampling is used
 We have N possible samples if sampling is with
n

replacement.
N
 We have   possible samples if sampling is with out
 
n
replacement.
2. After this on wards we consider that samples are drawn from a
given population using simple random sampling.

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