Sampling

Sampling
• It is the most widely used tool for gathering
information.
• A researcher takes generally small portion of
population for study which is referred to as
sample.
• The process of selecting a sample from
population is called sampling.
 Basic Terminology in sampling

• 1 Population
• 2 Sampling Element
• 3 Sampling Frame
• 4 Sampling Unit
• 5 Census
 1 Population

• This is not the entire population of a given

geographical area, but the predefined set of
potential respondents (elements) in a geographical
area.
• Ex. If , in an organization there are 1000 engineers,
out of which 400 are mechanical engineers and we
are interested in examining the job satisfaction of
mechanical engineer, then all 400 mechanical
engineers would be population of interest.
 Sampling Element
• An element comprises a single member of the
population. Out of 400 mechanical engineer ,
each mechanical engineer would form an
element of the population.
 sampling frame
• A sampling frame comprises all the elements
of a population with proper identification that
is available for selection.
• Examples
• The attendance sheet of a particular class
• Telephone directory
• The list of registered voters.
 sampling unit

• A sampling unit is a single member of the

sample. If a sample of 50 students is taken
from a population of 200 MBA students in a
business school, then each of the 50 students
is a sampling unit.
 Census or complete enumeration

• An examination of each and every element of

the population is called census. Census is an
alternative to sampling.
• A sample, on the other hand, is a subgroup of
the population selected for participation in the
study. Sample characteristics, called statistics,
are then used to make inferences about the
population parameters.
 Fill in the blanks:
• 1. A sample is a part of a ....................
population.
• 2. Sampling .................... is the list of elements
from which the sample is actually drawn.
• 3. A sample is appropriate when the size of
population is .................... and .....................
• 4. A census is appropriate if the size of
population is .....................
• 1 target 2. frame
• 3. large, homogeneous 4. small
 Define the Target Population

• Sampling design begins by specifying the target population.

• The target population is the collection of elements or
objects that possess the information sought by the
researcher and about which inferences are to be made. The
target population must be defined precisely.
• Imprecise definition of the target population will result in
research that is ineffective at best and misleading at worst.
• Defining the target population involves translating the
problem definition into a precise statement of who should
and should not be included in the sample
• The target population should be defined in
terms of elements, sampling units, extent, and
time.
• Extent refers to the geographical boundaries,
and the time factor is the time period under
consideration.
• Example: If we are monitoring the sale of a new product
recently introduced by a company,say (shampoo sachet)
the population will be:
• (a) Element - Company's product
• (b) Sampling unit - Retail outlet, super market
• (c) Extent - Hyderabad and Secunderabad
• (d) Time - April 10 to May 10, 2020
• 2. Identify the sampling frame: Sampling frame could be
• (a) Telephone Directory
• (b) Localities of a city using the municipal corporation
listing
• (c) Any other list consisting of all sampling units.
 Determine the Sampling Frame
• a sampling frame is usually a practical listing
of the population, or a definition of the
elements or areas which can be used for the
sampling exercise.
• Sampling frame could be
• (a) Telephone Directory
• (b) Localities of a city using the municipal
corporation listing
• (c) Any other list consisting of all sampling
units.
• Example: You want to learn about scooter
owners in a city. The RTO will be the frame,
• which provides you names, addresses and the
types of vehicles possessed.
 Select a Sampling Technique
• Bayesian or traditional sampling approach,
• To sample with or without replacement, and
• To use nonprobability or probability sampling.
 Bayesian approach

• A selection method in which the elements are

• selected sequentially.
• The Bayesian approach explicitly incorporates
prior information about population parameters
This approach is theoretically appealing. Yet it
is not used widely in marketing research
because much of the required information on
costs and probabilities is not available.
• In sampling with replacement, an element is
selected from the sampling frame and
appropriate data are obtained. Then the
element is placed back in the sampling frame.
As a result, it is possible for an element to be
included in the sample more than once.
• In sampling without replacement, once an
element is selected for inclusion in the sample,
it is removed from the sampling frame and,
therefore, cannot be selected again.
 Determine the Sample Size

• Sample size refers to the number of elements

to be included in the study.
• Determining the sample size is complex and
involves several qualitative and quantitative
considerations.
 Important qualitative factors that should be
considered in determining the sample size
include
• (1) the importance of the decision,
• (2) the nature of the research,
• (3) the number of variables,
• (4) the nature of the analysis,
• (5) sample sizes used in similar studies,
• (6) incidence rates,
• (7) completion rates, and
• (8) resource constraints.
• Table 11.2 gives an idea of sample sizes used
in different marketing research studies. These
sample sizes have been determined based on
experience and can serve as rough guidelines,
particularly when nonprobability sampling
techniques are used.
 Execute the Sampling Process

• Execution of the sampling process requires a

detailed specification of how the sampling design
• decisions with respect to the population, sampling
frame, sampling unit, sampling technique, and
• sample size are to be implemented. If households
are the sampling unit, an operational definition of
• a household is needed. Procedures should be
specified for vacant housing units and for
callbacks in case no one is at home.
 Tourism Department Telephones Birthday Boys
and Girls
• A telephone survey was conducted for the Florida Department of
Tourism (www.myflorida.com) to gain an understanding of the
travel behavior of in-state residents. In 2008, there were more than
18 million residents in Florida, ranking the state fourth in the United
States after California, Texas, and New York. These households
• were stratified by north, central, and south Florida regions. A
computerized random digit sample was used to reach these
households. Households were screened to locate family members
who met four qualifications:
• 1. Age 25 or older
• 2. Live in Florida at least seven months of the year
• 3. Have lived in Florida for at least two years
• 4. Have a Florida driver’s license
• To obtain a representative sample of qualified
individuals, a random method was used to
select the respondent from within a household.
All household members meeting the four
qualifications were listed and the person with
the next birthday was selected. Repeated
callbacks were made to reach that person. The
• steps in the sampling design process were as
follows.
• 1. Target population: Adults meeting the four qualifications
(element) in a household with a working
• telephone number (sampling unit) in the state of Florida
(extent) during the survey period (time)
• 2. Sampling frame: Computer program for generating random
telephone numbers
• 3. Sampling technique: Stratified sampling. The target
population was geographically stratified into
• three regions: north, central, and south Florida.
• 4. Sample size: 868
• 5. Execution: Allocate the sample among strata; use
computerized random digit dialing; list all the
• members in the household who meet the four qualifications;
select one member of the household
• using the next birthday method.