3I’S MODULE 7.

POPULATION AND
SAMPLING METHODS
Cristopher Reymond S. Castillo, Ph.D.
Objectives
 1. describe how probability sampling differs from
non-probability sampling;
 2. define generalizability and describe how it is
achieved in probability samples;
 3. identify the various types of probability samples
and provide a brief description of each;
 4. define non-probability sampling and describe
instances in which a researcher might choose a
non-probability sampling technique; and
 5. describe the different types of non-probability
samples;
LESSON 1. POPULATION
AND SAMPLING FOR
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
 What’s In
 Research Topic: Investigating Age and Sleep Patterns
 Research has shown that the human body clock is very
important in determining sleep and wake patterns.
Your task is to design a study that investigates the
relationship between ages and sleep duration.
 Question:
1. What kind of research design is used in the study?
Justify your answer.
 Participants
In terms of sampling, who will be your target
population and what type of sampling will you use?
Justify your choices.
 Two types of sampling
methods
 Probability sampling
 Non-probability sampling

 Quantitative researchers like you are often

interested in being able to make generalizations
about groups larger than their study samples.
 While there are certainly instances when
quantitative researchers rely on nonprobability
samples (e.g., when doing exploratory or
evaluation research), quantitative researchers
tend to rely on probability sampling techniques.
Samples
 What is the prevalence of HIV in the
adult Filipino population?
 Selected individuals are called as

“sample.”
 Clearly and explicitly mention the

sampling method in the manuscript.

 Acknowledge the limitations of your

sampling method and its effects on

estimated obtained in the study.
Population
 Population. It is any complete group (i.e.,
people, sales territories, stores, etc.) sharing a
common set of characteristics. It can be defined
as including all people or items with the
characteristic one wish to understand and draw
inferences about them.
 Sample. It is a subset or a part of a larger
population. It is “a smaller (but hopefully
representative) collection of units from a
population used to determine truths about that
population” (Creswell, 2015)
Random Sampling
 The method by which you select the
sample is the sampling method.
 Random sampling method (such as

simple random sample or stratified

random sample) is a form of
probability sampling.
 Sampling
 Sampling is a statistical procedure that is
concerned with the selection of certain individual
observation from the target population.
 Sampling design refers to the technique or
procedure used by the researcher for selecting
items as samples from the population or universe.
 Designing the sample calls for three decisions:
• Who will be surveyed? (the sample)
• How many people will be surveyed? (sample
size)
• How should the sample be chosen? (sampling)
 Types of Samples for Quantitative
Research
 • Simple random sample. Every member of the
population has a known and equal chance of being
selected.
 • Stratified random sample. Population is divided into
mutually exclusive groups such as age groups and
random samples are drawn from each group.
 • Cluster (area) sample. The population is divided into
mutually exclusive groups such as blocks, and the
researcher draws a sample of the group to interview.
 • Systematic sampling is where every case after a
random selection is selected. For example, if surveying a
sample of consumers, every fifth consumer may be
selected from your sample. The advantage of this sampling
technique is its simplicity.
Sampling Techniques for Quantitative
Research
POPULATION AND SAMPLING
FOR QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
 What’s In
 1. Sample selection based on the subjective judgment
of the researcher.
 2. Not everyone has an equal chance to participate.
 3. The researcher does not consider sampling bias.
 4. Useful when the population has similar traits.
 5. The sample does not accurately represent the
population.
 6. Finding respondents is easy.
 7. The sample is selected randomly.
 8. Everyone in the population has an equal chance of
getting selected.
 9. Used when sampling bias must be reduced.
 10. Useful when the population is diverse.
 Non-probability
 Individuals are selected based on nonrandom 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. You cannot
use it to make a valid statistical inference about the
whole
population.
 Nonprobability sampling techniques are often
appropriate for 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.
 Non-probability sampling
 Non-probability sampling refers to sampling
techniques for which a person’s (or event’s or
researcher’s focus) likelihood of being selected
for membership in the sample is unknown.
 In most cases, it is acceptable because
representing the population is not the goal with
non-probability samples.
 The fact that these samples do not represent a
larger population does not mean that they are
drawn arbitrarily or without any specific
purpose in mind
Non-probability sampling
 Non-probability samples are ideal
when we are designing a research
project.
 The early stages of a research

project, if we are conducting a pilot

study or exploratory research.
Non-Probability Sampling
Procedures

 Convenience Sampling
 Snowball Sampling
 Purposive Sampling
 Quota Sampling
 Convenience Sampling
 This is a method of selecting samples that
are available and are capable of
participating in a research study on a
current issue.
 This method is sometimes called
haphazard or availability sampling.
 Convenience sampling is a sampling
strategy that is employed by both
qualitative and quantitative researches.
 An example would be conducting a
survey or interview on a captive
audience inside a mall or park or school
to obtain a quick response of public
opinion on an issue about election of
public officials.
 Snowball Sampling
 Snowball sampling is a technique where the researcher
identifies a key informant about a research of interest
and then ask that respondent to refer or identify
another respondent who can participate in the study.
 Snowball sampling is a strategy which is useful when a
researcher wishes to study some stigmatized group or
behavior.
 The identification of the samples follows a multiplier
effect, that is, one person is asked to refer the
researcher to another respondent and so on.
 This technique is applicable when researchers find
difficulty in locating special numbers of a population.
The chain referral procedure allows the researcher to
reach the desired samples.
 Snowball Sampling
 Snowball sampling is sometimes referred to as chain
referral sampling.
 One research participant refers another, and that
person refers another, and that person refers
another—thus a chain of potential participants is
identified. In addition to using this sampling strategy
for potentially stigmatized populations, it is also a
useful strategy to use when the researcher’s group
of interest is likely to be difficult to find, not only
because of some stigma associated with the group,
but also because the group may be relatively rare.
 For example, an ethnographic research of the
indigenous groups called Mangyans who are
living in the island of Mindoro used snowball
sampling to locate respondents. Based on this
unpublished research study, the total population
of the eight (8) ethnic groups called Mangyans
may be around 100,000 according to official
records. But according to the researcher, they
are difficult to locate because of distance
(remote areas) and some have little contact
with the lowlanders or the outside world.
Example
 You are researching experiences
of homelessness in your city.
Since there is no list of all
homeless people in the city,
probability sampling is not
possible. You meet one person
who agrees to participate in the
research, and she puts you in
contact with other homeless
Purposive Sampling
 Purposive sampling sometimes called
judgmental or subjective sampling employs
a procedure in which samples are chosen
for a special purpose. It may involve
members of a limited group of population.
 To draw a purposive sample, a researcher

must begin with specific perspectives in

mind that he or she wishes to examine and
then seeks out research participants who
will cover the full range of perspectives.
Example
 You may want to conduct a study on why
Grade 11 students chose the Voc-Tech
track over the Academic track. You,
therefore, find your samples and your
first question would be "Are you planning
to go to the university?" Those who will
say "No" would not be included in the
study.
Quota Sampling
 Quota Sampling is gathering a representative
sample from a group based on certain
characteristics of the population chosen by the
researcher. Usually the population is divided
into specific groups. If the specific condition, for
example, is for both genders, males and
females are to be represented equally in the
sample group, then if 60 representatives are
needed, then you get 30 males and 30 females
from each group.
 The main difference between stratified random
sampling and quota sampling can be explained
in a way that in quota sampling, you use non-
 Quota Sampling
 Quota sampling is a type of sampling is actually
employed by both qualitative and quantitative
researchers, but because it is a nonprobability
method, it is included in this lesson.
 When conducting quota sampling, a researcher

identifies categories that are important to the

study and for which there is likely to have
variation. Subgroups are created based on each
category and the researcher decides how
many people (or documents or whatever
element happens to be the focus of the
research) to include from each subgroup and
collects data from that number for each
subgroup.
 Example
 Hypothetically, a researcher wants to study the
career goals of male and female employees in
an organization. There are 500 employees in
the organization, also known as the population.
 To understand better the population, the
researcher
will need only a sample, not the entire
population. Further, the researcher is
interested in particular strata within the
population. Here is where quota sampling
helps in dividing the population into strata or
groups.