Managing a Successful

Computing Project
Fall Semester (2022)
By: Eng. Lina Hammad
Topic 4: Sampling Methods | Types and Techniques
Outline
 • In research, sampling is the process of using a subset of a population to represent
the whole population.

What is a sampling • Sampling definitions:

1. Population: the total number of people or things you are interested in.
2. Sample: a smaller number within your population that will represent the whole.
3. Sampling: the process and method of selecting your sample.
What is sample?

• When you conduct research about a group of people, it’s rarely possible to collect data from
every person in that group. Instead, you select a sample.

• The sample is the group of individuals who will actually participate in the research.

• To draw valid conclusions from your results, you have to carefully decide how you will select a
sample that is representative of the group as a whole.
 Types of Samples

• There are two types of sampling methods:

1. Probability sampling: involves random selection, allowing you to make strong statistical
inferences about the whole group.
2. Non-probability sampling involves non-random selection based on convenience or other criteria,
allowing you to easily collect data.

• Note: You should clearly explain how you selected your sample in the methodology section of your
paper or thesis.
 Probability Sampling
Methods
• Probability sampling means that every member
of the population has a chance of being selected.
• It is mainly used in quantitative research. If you
want to produce results that are representative of
the whole population, probability sampling
techniques are the most valid choice.
• There are four main types of probability sample:
1. Simple random sampling
2. Systematic sampling
3. Stratified sampling
4. Cluster sampling
 Simple Random Sampling

• In a simple random sample, every member of the population

has an equal chance of being selected. Your sampling frame
should include the whole population.

• To conduct this type of sampling, you can use tools like random
number generators or other techniques that are based entirely
on chance.

• Example: You want to select a simple random sample of 100

employees of Company X. You assign a number to every
employee in the company database from 1 to 1000 and use a
random number generator to select 100 numbers.
 Systematic Sampling
• Systematic sampling is similar to simple random sampling, but it is usually slightly easier to conduct. Every member of
the population is listed with a number, but instead of randomly generating numbers, individuals are chosen at regular
intervals.

• Example: All employees of the company are listed in alphabetical order. From the first 10 numbers, you randomly
select a starting point: number 6. From number 6 onwards, every 10th person on the list is selected (6, 16, 26, 36, and
so on), and you end up with a sample of 100 people.
 • Stratified sampling involves dividing the population into
Stratified Sampling subpopulations that may differ in important ways. It allows
you draw more precise conclusions by ensuring that every
subgroup is properly represented in the sample.
• To use this sampling method, you divide the population
into subgroups based on the relevant characteristic (e.g.,
gender, age range, income bracket, job role). Then, you
calculate how many people should be sampled from each
subgroup. Finally, you use random or systematic sampling
to select a sample from each subgroup.

• Example: The company has 800 female employees and 200

male employees. You want to ensure that the sample
reflects the gender balance of the company, so you sort the
population into two strata based on gender. Then you use
random sampling on each group, selecting 80 women and
20 men, which gives you a representative sample of 100
people.
 • Cluster sampling also involves dividing the population into
Cluster Sampling subgroups, but each subgroup should have similar
characteristics to the whole sample. Instead of sampling
individuals from each subgroup, you randomly select
entire subgroups.

• This method is good for dealing with large and dispersed

populations, but there is more risk of error in the sample,
as there could be substantial differences between clusters.
It’s difficult to guarantee that the sampled clusters are
really representative of the whole population.

• Example: The company has offices in 10 cities across the

country (all with roughly the same number of employees
in similar roles). You don’t have the capacity to travel to
every office to collect your data, so you use random
sampling to select 3 offices – these are your clusters.
 Non-probability Sampling Methods
• In a non-probability sample, individuals are selected based on non-random criteria, and not every
individual has a chance of being included.

• This type of sample is easier and cheaper to access, but it has a higher risk of sampling bias. That
means the inferences you can make about the population are weaker than with probability samples,
and your conclusions may be more limited. If you use a non-probability sample, you should still aim to
make it as representative of the population as possible.

• Non-probability sampling techniques are often used in qualitative research. In these types of research,
the aim is not to test a hypothesis about a broad population, but to develop an initial understanding of
a small or under-researched population.
 Non-probability
Sampling Methods

• There are four main types of probability

sample:
1. Convenience sampling
2. Voluntary response sampling
3. Purposive sampling
4. Snowball sampling
 • A convenience sample simply includes the
Convenience Sample individuals who happen to be most accessible to
the researcher.

• This is an easy and inexpensive way to gather initial

data, but there is no way to tell if the sample is
representative of the population, so it can’t
produce generalizable results.

• Example: You are researching opinions about

student support services in your university, so after
each of your classes, you ask your fellow students
to complete a survey on the topic. This is a
convenient way to gather data, but as you only
surveyed students taking the same classes as you at
the same level, the sample is not representative of
all the students at your university.
Voluntary Response
Sampling • Similar to a convenience sample, a voluntary response
sample is mainly based on ease of access. Instead of the
researcher choosing participants and directly contacting
them, people volunteer themselves (e.g. by responding to a
public online survey).

• Voluntary response samples are always at least somewhat

biased, as some people will inherently be more likely to
volunteer than others.

• Example: You send out the survey to all students at your

university and a lot of students decide to complete it. This can
certainly give you some insight into the topic, but the people
who responded are more likely to be those who have strong
opinions about the student support services, so you can’t be
sure that their opinions are representative of all students.
 • This type of sampling, also known as judgement
Purposive Sampling sampling, involves the researcher using their expertise to
select a sample that is most useful to the purposes of the
research.

• It is often used in qualitative research, where the

researcher wants to gain detailed knowledge about a
specific phenomenon rather than make statistical
inferences, or where the population is very small and
specific. An effective purposive sample must have clear
criteria and rationale for inclusion.

• Example: You want to know more about the opinions

and experiences of disabled students at your university,
so you purposefully select a number of students with
different support needs in order to gather a varied range
of data on their experiences with student services.
Snowball Sampling
• If the population is hard to access, snowball
sampling can be used to recruit participants via
other participants. The number of people you
have access to “snowballs” as you get in contact
with more people.

• Example: You are researching experiences of

homelessness in your city. Since there is no list of
all homeless people in the city, probability
sampling isn’t possible. You meet one person who
agrees to participate in the research, and she
puts you in contact with other homeless people
that she knows in the area.
How Do You Decide on The Type of
Sampling to Use?

• For any research, it is essential to choose a sampling method accurately to meet the goals of your
study. The effectiveness of your sampling relies on various factors.

• Here are some steps expert researchers follow to decide the best sampling method:
1. Jot down the research goals. Generally, it must be a combination of cost, precision, or accuracy.
2. Identify the effective sampling techniques that might potentially achieve the research goals.
3. Test each of these methods and examine whether they help in achieving your goal.
4. Select the method that works best for the research.
How Do You Decide on The Type of
Sampling to Use?

• Note: You should select a sample of the consumer market, businesses or individuals (those who
meet certain characteristics relevant to the research theme) used to gather data (qualitative or
quantitative).
 • https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/sampling-methods/

References • https://www.questionpro.com/blog/types-of-sampling-for-
social-research/
• https://www.qualtrics.com/uk/experience-
management/research/sampling-
methods/?rid=ip&prevsite=en&newsite=uk&geo=JO&geoma
tch=uk