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Research Methods - Sampling

This document discusses research sampling methods. It begins by defining a population, sample, and individual cases. It then covers probability and non-probability sampling techniques. For probability sampling, it describes simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, and multi-stage sampling. For non-probability sampling, it discusses convenience sampling, judgment sampling, and quota sampling. The key advantages and disadvantages of each technique are provided through examples.

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Mohsin Raza
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
282 views

Research Methods - Sampling

This document discusses research sampling methods. It begins by defining a population, sample, and individual cases. It then covers probability and non-probability sampling techniques. For probability sampling, it describes simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, and multi-stage sampling. For non-probability sampling, it discusses convenience sampling, judgment sampling, and quota sampling. The key advantages and disadvantages of each technique are provided through examples.

Uploaded by

Mohsin Raza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 34

Slide 7.

Research Methods
Slide 7.2

Selecting samples
Population, sample and individual cases

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)

Figure 7.1 Population, sample and individual cases


Slide 7.3

Sampling A sample is a subset of a


larger population of objects
individuals, households,
businesses, organizations
Population and so forth.

Sampling enables researchers


to make estimates of some
unknown characteristics of
Sample the population in question

A finite group is called population


whereas a non-finite (infinite)
group is called universe

A census is a investigation of all


the individual elements of a
population
Slide 7.4

The need to sample


Sampling- a valid alternative to a census when

 A survey of the entire population is impracticable

 Budget constraints restrict data collection

 Time constraints restrict data collection

 Results from data collection are needed quickly


Slide 7.5

Sampling
Slide 7.6

Probability and Non Probability


Sampling
Probability Sampling (Representative Sampling) –
Every element in the population under study has a
non-zero probability of selection to a sample, and
every member of the population has an equal
probability of being selected

Non-Probability Sampling (Judgmental Sampling)


An arbitrary means of selecting sampling units
based on subjective considerations, such as
personal judgment or convenience. It is less
preferred to probability sampling
Slide 7.7

Sampling techniques

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)


Figure 7.2 Sampling techniques
Slide 7.8

Probability sampling
The four stage process

1. Identify sampling frame from research objectives

2. Decide on a suitable sample size

3. Select the appropriate technique and the sample

4. Check that the sample is representative


Slide 7.9

Identifying a suitable sampling frame


“The sampling frame for any probability sample is a
complete list of all the cases in the population from
which your sample will be taken.”

 Problems of using existing databases e.g.


Telephone directory

 Extent of possible generalisation from the sample


Slide 7.10

The importance of response rate


Key considerations

 Non- respondents and analysis of refusals

 Obtaining a representative sample

 Calculating the active response rate

 Estimating response rate and sample size


Slide 7.11

Probability Sampling (1)


Simple Random Sampling – This is a technique
which ensures that each element in the population
has an equal chance of being selected for the
sample

 The major advantage of simple random sampling is its


simplicity
Slide 7.12

Examples:
 Lottery draw: The name or identifying number of each
item in the population is recorded on a slip of paper and
placed in a box - shuffled – randomly choose required
sample size from the box.

 Each item is numbered and a table of random numbers is


used to select the members of the sample.

 There are many software programs, such as MINITAB


and Excel that have routines that will randomly select a
given number of items from the population.
Slide 7.13

Probability Sampling (2)


 Systematic Sampling – This is a technique in which an
initial starting point is selected by a random process, after
which every nth number on the list is selected to constitute
part of the sample

 For systematic sampling to work best, the list should be random in


nature and not have some underlying systematic pattern

 Example: From a list of 1500 name entries, a name on the list is


randomly selected and then (say) every 25th name thereafter. The
sampling interval in this case would equal 25.
Slide 7.14

Examples:
 The market researcher might select every 5th person who
enters a particular store, after selecting the first person at
random.
 The surveyor may interview the occupants of every fifth
house on a street, after randomly selecting one of the first
five houses.
Slide 7.15

SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING……
As described above, in systematic sampling all elements have
the same probability of selection.

15
Slide 7.16

Probability Sampling (3)


 Stratified Sampling – This is a technique in which simple random
subsamples are drawn from within different strata that share some
common characteristic
Slide 7.17

 Example: The student body of FAST is divided into two groups


(management science, engineering) and from each group, students are
selected for a sample using simple random sampling in each of the two
groups, whereby the size of the sample for each group is determined by
that group’s overall strength.

 Stratified Sampling has the advantage of giving more representative


samples and less random sampling error; the disadvantage lies therein,
that it is more complex and information on the strata may be difficult
to obtain
Slide 7.18

Probability Sampling (4)


 There are other specialized techniques of sampling such as:

 Cluster Sampling
 Multistage Area Sampling
Slide 7.19

Cluster Sampling
 Imagine that the municipal council of Rawalpindi wants to
investigate the use of health care services by residents.
I. Council requests for electoral subdivision maps that
identify and label each area block.
II. From this maps, the council creates a list of all area
blocks (e.g: Sadar, westridge etc…). This area will serve as
the survey sampling frame.
III. Every household in that area belongs to a area block.
IV. Each area block represents a cluster of households.
Slide 7.20

I. Council randomly picks a number of area blocks


(cluster) using SRS approach.
II. List all households in the selected area blocks;
these households make up the survey sample.
Slide 7.21

Multi-stage Sampling
 Combination of all the methods described above.
 Involves selecting a sample in at least two stages.
 e.g: i. Stage 1: Stratified Sampling
 Stage 2: Systematic Sampling
 e.g: ii. Stage 1: Cluster Sampling
 Stage 2: Stratified Sampling
 Stage 3: Simple Random Sampling
Slide 7.22

Non- probability sampling (1)


Key considerations

 Deciding on a suitable sample size

 Selecting the appropriate technique


Slide 7.23

Non- Probability Sampling (2)


 Convenience Sampling – This is a sampling technique
which selects those sampling units most conveniently
available at a certain point in, or over a period, of time

 Major advantages of convenience sampling is that is quick,


convenient and economical; a major disadvantage is that the sample
may not be representative

 Convenience sampling is best used for the purpose of exploratory


research and supplemented subsequently with probability sampling
Slide 7.24

Examples
 Suppose 100 car owners are to be selected. Then we
may collect from the RTO's office the list of car owners
and then make a selection of 100 from that (on the
basis of our convenience) to form the sample.
 A group of students in Hamdard university want to
study working mechanism of a clinical instructors.
They interview clinical instructor they knew in
pharmacy school, a couple of instructors who handle
them in their area and few others who are known to
them.
Slide 7.25

Non-Probability Sampling (3)


 Judgment (purposive) Sampling – This is a sampling
technique in which the business researcher selects the
sample based on judgment about some appropriate
characteristic of the sample members

 Example: Selection of certain voting districts which


serve as indicators for the national voting trend
Slide 7.26

Non-Probability Sampling (4)


 Quota Sampling – This is a sampling technique in which
the business researcher ensures that certain characteristics
of a population are represented in the sample to an extent
which is he or she desires

 Example: A business researcher wants to determine through


interview, the demand for Product X in a district which is very
diverse in terms of its ethnic composition. If the sample size is to
consist of 100 units, the number of individuals from each ethnic
group interviewed should correspond to the group’s percentage
composition of the total population of that district
Slide 7.27

 Example: A researcher want to study political issues, and he sets quota


of party identification for selecting a sample.

Quota for sample selection is as follows:


 Registered Republicans 50% Sampled Republicans 100
 Registered Democrats 40% SampledDemocrats 80
 Registered Independents 10% SampledIndependents 20

 One can use quotas for several criterias:


 Race/Ethnicity (Black, White, Latino/a ,Asian )
 Gender (M F)
 Political Affiliation (Democratic, Republican, Independent)
Slide 7.28

Non-Probability Sampling (5)


 Quota Sampling has advantages and disadvantages:

 Advantages include the speed of data collection, less cost, the


element of convenience, and representativeness (if the subgroups in
the sample are selected properly)

 Disadvantages include the element of subjectivity (convenience


sampling rather than probability-based which leads to improper
selection of sampling units)
Slide 7.29

Non-Probability Sampling (6)


 Snowball Sampling – This is a sampling technique in which individuals
or organizations are selected first by probability methods, and then
additional respondents are identified based on information provided
by the first group of respondents.
 Example: Through a sample of 500 individuals, 20 scuba-diving
enthusiasts are identified which, in turn, identify a number of other
scuba-divers
Slide 7.30

Example:
Slide 7.31

Contd.

 The advantage of snowball sampling is that smaller sample sizes


and costs are necessary.

 Major disadvantage is that the second group of respondents


suggested by the first group may be very similar and not
representative of the population with that characteristic.
Slide 7.32

Sample size
Choice of sample size is
influenced by

 Confidence needed in the data

 Margin of error that can be tolerated

 Types of analyses to be undertaken

 Size of the sample population and distribution


Slide 7.33

Sample Size
 Confidence Interval

The confidence interval (also called margin of error) is


the plus-or-minus figure usually reported in newspaper
or television opinion poll results. For example, if you use
a confidence interval of 4 and 47% percent of your
sample picks an answer you can be "sure" that if you had
asked the question of the entire relevant population
between 43% (47-4) and 51% (47+4) would have picked
that answer.
Slide 7.34

 Confidence Level
The confidence level tells you how sure you can be. It is
expressed as a percentage and represents how often the
true percentage of the population who would pick an
answer lies within the confidence interval. The 95%
confidence level means you can be 95% certain; the 99%
confidence level means you can be 99% certain. Most
researchers use the 95% confidence level.

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