SAMPLING DESIGN

Sampling Techniques,
Central Limit Theorem
and
Sample Size
Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Basic Concepts
Population:

entire group of objects or persons

of interest
Sample: a portion, a part, or a subset of the
population
Population element: An individual member of
a population

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Concepts
Census:

an investigation of all individual

elements that make up a population

Sampling

frame: a list of elements from which

a sample may be drawn also called working
population.

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Reasons for Sampling

Time
Cost
Adequacy

of sample results
Destructive nature of certain tests
Physical impossibility

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Types

Probability Sample: A sampling technique in

which every member of the population will have a
known, nonzero probability of being selected

Non-Probability Sample: Units of the sample are

chosen on the basis of personal judgment or
convenience

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Pictorial Classification

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Probability Sampling methods

Simple random sample :A sample selected so

that each item or person in the population has the
same chance of being included.
Each item is numbered and a table of random
numbers, is used to select the members of the
sample.
There are many software programs, such as
MINITAB and Excel that have routines that will
randomly select a given number of items from the
population.
Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Simple random sample

Advantages

minimal knowledge of population needed

Easy to analyze data

Disadvantages

High cost; low frequency of use

Does not use researchers expertise
Larger risk of random error than stratified

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Systematic random sample

A random starting point is selected and then every

kth member of the population is selected.

In a systematic random sample, you might take all

the items in the population and number them 1, 2,
3,.... Next, a random starting point is selected, let's
say 39. Every kth item thereafter, such as every
100th, is selected for the sample. This means that
39, 139, 239, 339, and so on would be a part of the
sample.
Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Systematic random sample

Advantages

Moderate cost; moderate usage

Simple to draw sample; easy to verify

Disadvantages

Periodic ordering
Requires sampling frame

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Stratified random sample

A

population is divided into groups, called

strata, and a sample is randomly selected
from each stratum
For example, if our study involved Army
personnel, we might decide to stratify the
population (all Army personnel) into generals,
other officers, and enlisted personnel

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Stratified random sample

Advantages

Assures representation of all groups in sample

population needed
Characteristics of each stratum can be estimated and
comparisons made
Reduces variability from systematic

Disadvantages

Requires accurate information on proportions of each

stratum
Stratified lists costly to prepare
Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Cluster sampling
A

population is divided into clusters using

naturally occurring geographic or other
boundaries. Then, clusters are randomly
selected and a sample is collected by
randomly selecting from each cluster
Cluster sampling is often used to reduce the
cost of sampling when the population is
scattered over a large geographic area
Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Cluster sampling

Advantages

Low cost/high frequency of use

Can estimate characteristics of both cluster and
population

Disadvantages

Larger error for comparable size than other probability

methods

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Non Probability Sampling

methods

Convenience Sample: The sampling procedure

used to obtain those units or people most

conveniently available
Disadvantages

Variability and bias cannot be measured or controlled

Projecting data beyond sample not justified.

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Judgment or Purposive
Sample
The

sampling procedure in which an

experienced research selects the sample
based on some appropriate characteristic of
sample member to serve a purpose

Disadvantages

Bias because sampling units not independent

Projecting data beyond sample not justified.

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Quota Sample
The

sampling procedure that ensure that a

certain characteristic of a population sample
will be represented to the exact extent that
the investigator desires

Disadvantages

Variability and bias cannot be measured or controlled

(classification of subjects0
Projecting data beyond sample not justified.

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Snowball sampling
The

sampling procedure in which the initial

respondents are chosen by probability or
non-probability methods, and then additional
respondents are obtained by information
provided by the initial respondents

Disadvantages

Bias because sampling units not independent

Projecting data beyond sample not justified.

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Sampling Error
The

difference between a sample statistic

and its corresponding population parameter.
For example, it is unlikely that the mean
welfare payment for a sample of 50 recipients
is exactly the same as the mean for all 4,000
welfare recipients. We expect a difference
between a sample statistic and its
corresponding population parameter. The
difference is called sampling error.
Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Sampling distribution of the

sample mean
A

probability distribution of all possible

sample means of a given sample size.

The mean of all the sample means will be exactly equal

to the population mean.
If the population from which the samples are drawn is
normal, the distribution of sample means is also
normally distributed.
If the population from which the samples are drawn is
not normal, the sampling distribution is approximately
normal, provided the samples are sufficiently large
(usually accepted to include at least 30 observations).
Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

The Central Limit Theorem

If

all samples of a specified size are selected

from any population, the sampling distribution
of the sample means is approximately a
normal distribution.
This approximation improves with larger
samples

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

 The

Central Limit Theorem does not address

the dispersion of the sampling distribution of
sample means
nor does
it address
the
Standard
Error
of the
Mean
comparison of the sampling distribution of
sample means to the mean of the population
It can be shown that the mean of the
sampling distribution is the population mean,
and if the dispersion in the population is ,
the dispersion of the means is /n
Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia

Sample Size
3

factors to be considered
Variance or heterogeneity of population (S)
The magnitude of acceptable error (E)
Confidence level (Z)

Means :
Proportions :

n = (ZS/E) 2
n = Z2 pq/ E2

Compiled by Dr Rajesh Devasia