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Characteristics of Good Sample

The document discusses characteristics of a good sample for research. A sample must be representative of the population being studied. The sample size should be determined based on the research objectives. The sample size may be increased or decreased based on circumstances like availability of information or limitations of time and funds. The researcher must select an appropriate sampling method, such as probability or non-probability, depending on factors like available time. Proper selection of the sampling unit, frame, and plan are also important to ensure an effective sample. The sample size should be suitable for collecting relevant data while also being economical.

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Jitesh Gohil
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53K views3 pages

Characteristics of Good Sample

The document discusses characteristics of a good sample for research. A sample must be representative of the population being studied. The sample size should be determined based on the research objectives. The sample size may be increased or decreased based on circumstances like availability of information or limitations of time and funds. The researcher must select an appropriate sampling method, such as probability or non-probability, depending on factors like available time. Proper selection of the sampling unit, frame, and plan are also important to ensure an effective sample. The sample size should be suitable for collecting relevant data while also being economical.

Uploaded by

Jitesh Gohil
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Characteristics of good sample

REPRESENTIVES: A sample is a subset of the populatin or universe. The sample


must be representatives of the universe. Therefore, the researcher must select
the sample members who have the the characteristics of the universe. For
example, when a research is undertaken to study job satisfaction in police force;
then the sample members must be the police personls belonging to different
levels in the police force

FOCUS ON OBJECTIVES: The sample size must be selected depending upon the
research objectives. For instance, if a research is undertaken ‘to find out the
impact of inflation on the poor’ then the sample size would be larger, as there are
more poor households in India. (In 2008, there were about 147 million
households of poor people in India – yearly income of less than Rs. 90,000).

FLEXIBILITY: The sample size should not be rigidly followed. The sample size can
be modified depending upon the circumstances. For instance, the sample size
may be reduced, if sufficient information is already available or if there is a
limitation of time and funds. However, sample size may be increased, if proper
information is not available from the current sample.

METHOD OF SAMPLING: The researcher must select proper method of sampling.


The sampling methods are broadly divided into two groups – probability methods
and non-probability methods. Certain methods require less time to complete data
collection. For instance, convenience sampling require less time to collect data.
Therefore, the researcher may select convenience method, if there are limitation
of time.

PROPER SELECTION OF SAMPLE UNIT: The sample unit must be appropriate. The
universe comprises of the elements, and each element can be further divided into
units. For instance, if a study is conducted to study job satisfaction among bank
employees, then bank employees comprise the universe. The element of universe
may comprise of bank employees / manager in rural banks, and in urban banks.
The sample unit may include male and female employees, junior or senior
employees depending upon the type of research, researcher must select proper
sampling of unit(s) to conduct the research activity.

PROPER SAMPLING FRAME: The researcher should select proper sampling


frame to collect information .sampling frame is an instrument to obtain addresses
or such other information about various element of the universe. The sampling
frame may include telephone directories, register of member in an organization,
etc . Before selection of sampling frame, the researcher must answer the
following qts:

 Does it adequately cover the universe?


 Does it represent each and every unit?
 IS the sample frame up-dated?

PROPER SAMPLING PLAN: t he researcher must prepare a sampling plan,which


must indicate:

 Sampling unit
 Sampling frame
 Sources of data
 Methods of data collection
 Resources required for data collection
 Time frame to collect data, etc

GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE STUDY: the researcher must consider the size of the
area for selecting the sample size. For instance ,if the area coverage is large such
as the entire state or country, then the size of the sample would be large. In such
situation, the researcher may adopt multi-stage cluster sampling.

SUITABILITY : The sample size should be suitability to collect the relevant data. For
instance, if a research is conducted to find out reading habits of college student in
the city of Mumbai, then the sample would be the students from the colleges of
Mumbai city, and the sample size may be smaller. But if the research is conducted
to find out the reading habits of college students in India, then the sample would
consist of students from various colleges across India, and the sample size woukd
be larger.

ECONOMY:the sample size must be economical. The sample size must be cost-
effective.it should not put extra burden on the resources .At the same time, the
sample size should be such that it facilitates proper collection of data.

Normally, the researcher must first consider the availability of resources and then
plan for the sample size. For instance, the sample size can be large, funds are
available for research activity, and vice-versa.

1. Principal of statistical regularity: A moderately large number of units


chosen at random from a large group are almost sure on an average to
possess the characteristics of the large group.
2. Principle of Inertia of large number: Other things equal, as the simple size
increases, the results tend to be more accurate and reliable
3. Principle of Validity: This states that the sampling methods provide valid
estimates about the population units (parameters).
4. Principal of Optimisation : This principal takes into account the desirability
of obtaining a sampling design which gives optimum results. This
minimizes the risk or loss of the sampling design. The foremost purpose of
sampling is to gather maximum information about the population under
consideration at minimum cost, time and human power. This is best
achieved when the sample contains all the properties of the population.

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