SAMPLING AND

SAMPLING METHODS
ABDULHAKIM H.(MPH)

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Introduction
Researchers often use sample survey
methodology to obtain information about a
larger population by selecting and measuring a
sample from that population.

Since population is too large, we rely on the

information collected from the sample.

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Introduction…
Usually, a representative subgroup of the
population (sample) is included in the
investigation.

A representative sample has all the important

characteristics of the population from which it
is drawn.

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Introduction…
Sampling enables us to estimate the characteristic of
a population by directly observing a portion of the
population.
Researchers are not interested in the sample itself,

but in what can be learned from the sample—and how this

information can be applied to the entire population.

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Introduction…
Inferences about the population are based
on the information from the sample drawn
from that population.

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Sampling
Sampling :-involves the selection of a number of a
study units from a defined population.

A main concern in sampling:

 Ensure that the sample represents the population, and

the findings can be generalized

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 Advantages of sampling
Feasibility: Sampling may be the only feasible method
of collecting information.

Reduced cost: Sampling reduces demands on resource

such as finance, personnel, and material.

Greater accuracy: Sampling may lead to better accuracy

of collecting data

Greater speed: Data can be collected and summarized

more quickly
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Sampling....
While selecting a SAMPLE, there are basic
questions:
What is the group of people from which we want to draw
a sample?

How many people do we need in our sample?

How will these people be selected?

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Common terms used in sampling

Reference population (source population / target

population)

the population of interest, to which the investigators

would like to generalize

the results of the study, and from which a representative

sample is to be drawn.

Study or sample population - the population

included in the sample.
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 Common terms used in
sampling
 Sampling unit - the unit of selection in the sampling
process. (group, individual/things)

 Study unit - the unit on which information is collected.

 Sampling frame - the list of all the units in the reference

population, from which a sample is to be picked.

 Sampling fraction (Sampling interval) - the ratio of the

number of units in the sample to the number of units in
the reference population (n/N)
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Sampling Methods

 Two broad divisions:

A. Probability sampling methods

B. Non-probability sampling methods

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 A. Probability sampling
methods

 A sampling frame exists or can be compiled.

 Involve random selection procedures.

 All units of the population should have an equal or at

least a known chance of being included in the sample.

 Generalization is possible (from sample to population).

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 Most common probability
sampling methods

1. Simple random sampling

2. Systematic random sampling
3. Stratified random sampling
4. Cluster sampling
5. Multi-stage sampling
6. Sampling with probability proportional to Size.

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 1. Simple random sampling

The required number of individuals are selected at

random from the sampling frame, a list or a database
of all individuals in the population

Each member of a population has an equal chance of

being included in the sample.

Representativeness of the sample is ensured.

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 1. Simple random sampling...
To use a SRS method:

 Make a numbered list of all the units in the population

from which you want to draw a sample.

 Each unit on the list should be numbered in sequence

from 1 to N (where N is the size of the population).

 Decide on the size of the sample.

 Select the required number of study units, using a

“lottery” method or a table of random numbers.
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1. Simple random sampling...

SRS has certain limitations:

Requires a sampling frame.

Difficult if the reference population is dispersed.
minority subgroups of interest in the population
may not be present in the sample in sufficient
numbers for study.

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2. Systematic random sampling

Individuals are chosen at regular intervals (

for Example, every kth) from the sampling
frame.

The first unit to be selected is taken at

random from among the first k units.

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 Steps in systematic random sampling

1. Number the units on your frame from 1 to N (where N is

the total population size).

2. Determine the sampling interval (K) by dividing the

number of units in the sample by the total number of
reference population.

3. Select a number between one and K at random. This

number is called the random start and would be the first
number included in your sample.

4. Select every Kth unit after that first number

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 Example
 To select a sample of 100 from a student of 400, you
would need a sampling interval: 100 /400 = 1/4.
Hence, the sample interval (K)= 4.

 The number of the first student to be included in the

sample is chosen randomly, for example by blindly
picking one out of four of pieces of paper, numbered
1 to 4.

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Example….

If you choose 3, the third unit on your frame

would be the first unit included in your sample;

The sample might consist of the following units

to make up a sample of 100: 3 (the random
start), 7, 11, 15, 19...395, 399 (up to N, which is
400 in this case).

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 Steps in systematic random sampling
Merits
Systematic sampling is usually less time consuming and
easier to perform than simple random sampling.

Demerits
If there is any sort of cyclic pattern in the ordering
of the subjects which coincides with the sampling
interval, the sample will not be representative of the
population.

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 3. Stratified random sampling

It is appropriate when the distribution of the

characteristic to be studied is strongly affected by
certain variable (heterogeneous population).

The population is first divided into groups (strata)

according to a characteristic of interest (eg., age, sex,
geographic area, prevalence of Disease,etc.).

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3. Stratified random sampling…

A separate sample is then taken independently from

each stratum, by simple random or systematic
sampling.

When a population is stratified, each stratum becomes

an independent population and you will need to decide
the sample size for each stratum.

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3. Stratified random sampling..
proportional allocation - if the same sampling
fraction is used for each stratum.

Proportionate allocation
nj = n/N*Nj
– nj is sample size of the jth stratum
– Nj is population size of the jth stratum
– n = n1 + n2 + ...+ nk is the total sample size
– N = N1 + N2 + ...+ Nk is the total population size
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3. Stratified random sampling..

Example: Proportionate Allocation

Village A B C D Total

HHs 100 150 120 130 500

S. size ? ? ? ? 60

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3. Stratified random sampling..
Merit
The representativeness of the sample is
improved.

DEMERIT
Sampling frame for the entire population has to
be prepared separately for each stratum.

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4. Cluster sampling
Cluster sampling is the most widely used to
reduce the cost.

In this sampling scheme, selection of the

required sample is done on groups of study
units (clusters) instead of each study unit
individually.

The sampling unit is a cluster, and the sampling

frame is a list of these clusters.
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Steps in cluster sampling

The reference population (homogeneous) is

divided into clusters.

A sample of such clusters is selected randomly.

 then all units within selected clusters are

included in the sample.

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Example

In a school based study, we assume students of the

same school are homogeneous.

We can select randomly sections and include all

students of the selected sections only

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 4. Cluster sampling
Merit

 A list of all the individual study units in the reference population

is not required.

 It is sufficient to have a list of clusters.

Demerit

 It is based on the assumption that the characteristic to be

studied is uniformly distributed throughout the reference
population, which may not always be the case.

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 5. Multi-stage sampling

This method is appropriate when the reference

population is large and widely scattered.

Similar to the cluster sampling, except that it involves

picking a sample from within each chosen cluster,
rather than including all units in the cluster.

This type of sampling requires at least two stages.

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5. Multi-stage sampling

The primary sampling unit (PSU) is the sampling

unit in the first sampling stage.

The secondary sampling unit (SSU) is the

sampling unit in the second sampling stage, etc.

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Example:
Woreda PSU

Kebele SSU

Sub-Kebele TSU

HH

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 5. Multi-stage sampling …..

• In the first stage, large groups or clusters are identified

and selected. These clusters contain more population
units than are needed for the final sample.

In the second stage, population units are picked from

within the selected clusters (using any of the possible
probability sampling methods) for a final sample.

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5. Multi-stage sampling …..

If more than two stages are used, the process of

choosing population units within clusters
continues until there is a final sample.

Merit:- reduce the cost and time of preparing

sampling frame.

Demerit:- Sampling error is increased compared

with a simple random sample.
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B. Non-probability sampling
In non-probability sampling, every item has an
unknown chance of being selected.

In non-probability sampling, there is

an assumption that there is an even distribution of

a characteristic of interest within the population.

For probability sampling, random is a feature of

the selection process.
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B. Non-probability sampling...

In non-probability sampling, since elements are

chosen arbitrarily, there is no way to estimate
the probability of any one element being
included in the sample.

Also, no assurance is given that each item has a

chance of being included, making it impossible
either to estimate sampling variability or to
identify possible bias
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 B. Non-probability sampling...

Despite these drawbacks, non-probability sampling

methods can be useful when descriptive comments
about the sample itself are desired.

Secondly, they are quick, inexpensive and convenient.

There are also other circumstances, such as

researches, when it is unfeasible or impractical to
conduct probability sampling.

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 The most common types of non-
probability sampling

1. Convenience or haphazard sampling

2. Quota sampling
3. Snowball sampling technique
4. Volunteer sampling
5. Judgment sampling

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1. Convenience or haphazard sampling

is a method in which for convenience sake the

study units that happen to be available at the
time of data collection are selected.

It is not normally representative of the target

population because sample units are only
selected if they can be accessed easily and
conveniently.
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1. Convenience or haphazard sampling

The obvious advantage is that the method is

easy to use, but that advantage is greatly offset
by the presence of bias.

Although useful applications of the technique

are limited, it can deliver accurate results when
the population is homogeneous.

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2. Quota sampling
This is one of the most common forms of non-
probability sampling.

Sampling is done until a specific number of units

(quotas) for various sub-populations have been
selected.

Since there are no rules as to how these quotas are

to be filled, quota sampling is really a means for
satisfying sample size objectives for certain sub-
populations.
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2. Quota sampling…
The main argument against quota sampling is
that it does not meet the basic requirement of
randomness.

Some units may have no chance of selection or

the chance of selection may be unknown.

Therefore, the sample may be biased

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2.Quota sampling….
Quota sampling

is generally less expensive than random sampling.

is also easy to administer, especially considering the

tasks of listing the whole population, randomly
selecting the sample and following-up on non-
respondents can be omitted from the procedure.

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3. Snowball sampling

A technique for selecting a research sample

where existing study subjects recruit future
subjects from among their acquaintances
(friends).

Thus the sample group appears to grow like a

rolling snowball.

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3. Snowball sampling…
 This sampling technique is often used in hidden
populations which are difficult for researchers to access;

 Example populations would be drug users or commercial

sex workers.

 Because sample members are not selected from a

sampling frame,

 snowball samples are subject to numerous

biases.

 For example, people who have many friends are more likely to be
recruited into the sample.
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 4. Volunteer sampling
• As the term implies, this type of sampling occurs when people

volunteer to be involved in the study.

• In psychological experiments or pharmaceutical trials (drug

testing), for example, it would be difficult and unethical to

enlist random participants from the general public.

• In these instances, the sample is taken from a group of

volunteers.

Sometimes, the researcher offers payment to attract

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• In exchange, the volunteers accept the possibility of a
lengthy, demanding or sometimes unpleasant process.

• Sampling voluntary participants as opposed to the

general population may introduce strong biases.

• Often in opinion polling, only the people who care

strongly enough about the subject tend to respond.

• The silent majority does not typically respond,

resulting in large selection bias.

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 5. Judgment sampling
• This approach is used when a sample is taken based
on certain judgments about the overall population.
• The underlying assumption is that the investigator will
select units that are characteristic of the population.
• The critical issue here is objectivity: how much can
judgment be relied upon to arrive at a typical sample?
• Judgment sampling is subject to the researcher's
biases.
• One advantage of judgment sampling is the reduced
cost and time involved in acquiring the sample.

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Thank you