Sampling Methods | Types,

Techniques & Examples

Dr. S H Nzala
Objectives
• Be able to
• define sampling
• Choose a suitable sampling technique
• Describe the different types of sampling methods
 Definition
• A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population.
• 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.
• Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually
collect data from in your research.
• This is called a sampling method.
Important statistical terms
Population:
a set which includes all
measurements of interest
to the researcher

Sample:
A subset of the population
 Why sampling?

Get information about large populations

- Less costs
- Less field time
- More accuracy i.e. Can Do A Better Job of Data
Collection
- When it’s impossible to study the whole population
Why are samples used in research?
• Samples are used to make inferences
about populations.
• Samples are easier to collect data from because they
are practical, cost-effective, convenient, and
manageable.
Two primary types of sampling methods
• Probability sampling involves random selection,
allowing you to make strong statistical inferences
about the whole group.
• Non-probability sampling involves non-random
selection based on convenience or other criteria,
allowing you to easily collect data.
 Population vs. sample
• First, you need to understand the difference between a
population and a sample, and identify the target population of
your research.
• The population is the entire group that you want to draw
conclusions about.
• The sample is the specific group of individuals that you will
collect data from.
• The population can be defined in terms of geographical
location, age, income, or many other characteristics.
Target Population:
The population to be studied/ to which the investigator wants to
generalize his results
Sampling Unit:
smallest unit from which sample can be selected
Sampling frame
List of all the sampling units from which sample is drawn
Sampling scheme
Method of selecting sampling units from sampling frame
Sampling fraction
Ratio between sample size and population size
Sampling frame
• The sampling frame is the actual list of individuals that
the sample will be drawn from.
• Ideally, it should include the entire target population
(and nobody who is not part of that population).
Sample size
• The number of individuals you should include in your
sample depends on various factors, including the size
and variability of the population and your research
design.
• There are different sample size calculators and
formulas depending on what you want to achieve with
statistical analysis
 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
• 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
• Allows application of statistical sampling theory to
results to:
• Generalise
• Test hypotheses
Example: Simple random sampling
• You want to select a simple random sample of 1000
employees of a social media marketing company.
• 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.
Table of random numbers

684257954125632140
582032154785962024
362333254789120325
985263017424503686
 2. 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: Systematic sampling
• 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.
• If you use this technique, it is important to make sure that
there is no hidden pattern in the list that might skew the
sample.
 3. Stratified sampling
• Stratified sampling involves dividing the population into
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 (called strata) based on the relevant characteristic
(e.g., gender identity, age range, income bracket, job role).
•
 3. Stratified sampling
• Based on the overall proportions of the population, you calculate
how many people should be sampled from each subgroup.
• Then 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.
 4. Cluster sampling
• Cluster sampling also involves dividing the population into
subgroups, but each subgroup should have similar
characteristics to the whole sample.
• Instead of sampling individuals from each subgroup, you
randomly select entire subgroups.
• If it is practically possible, you might include every individual
from each sampled cluster. If the clusters themselves are large,
you can also sample individuals from within each cluster using
one of the techniques above.
• This is called multistage sampling.
 4. Cluster sampling (Cont.)
• 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.
 Cluster sampling
Section 1 Section 2

Section 3

Section 5

Section 4
 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 methods
• Non-probability sampling techniques are often used
in exploratory and 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.
 1. Convenience sampling
• A convenience sample simply includes the 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.
• Convenience samples are at risk for both sampling
bias and selection bias.
• Convenience samples (ease of access)
 Example: Convenience sampling
• 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.
 2. 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, leading to self-selection bias.
Example: Voluntary response sampling
• 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.
 3. Purposive sampling
• This type of sampling, also known as judgement 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.
• Always make sure to describe your inclusion and exclusion
criteria and beware of observer bias affecting your arguments.
Example: Purposive sampling
• 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.
 4. 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.
• The downside here is also representativeness, as you have no
way of knowing how representative your sample is due to the
reliance on participants recruiting others. This can lead
to sampling bias
• (friend of friend….etc.)
Example: Snowball sampling
• 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.
 5. Quota sampling
• Quota sampling relies on the non-random selection of a
predetermined number or proportion of units. This is called a
quota.
• You first divide the population into mutually exclusive
subgroups (called strata) and then recruit sample units until you
reach your quota.
• These units share specific characteristics, determined by you
prior to forming your strata.
• The aim of quota sampling is to control what or who makes up
your sample
 Example: Quota sampling
• You want to gauge consumer interest in a new produce delivery service
in Boston, focused on dietary preferences.
• You divide the population into meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans,
drawing a sample of 1000 people.
• Since the company wants to cater to all consumers, you set a quota of
200 people for each dietary group.
• In this way, all dietary preferences are equally represented in your
research, and you can easily compare these groups.
• You continue recruiting until you reach the quota of 200 participants
for each subgroup
Conclusions

• Probability samples are the best

• Ensure
• Representativeness
• Precision