Sampling Techniques

A. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN RESE ARCH SAMPLING

 What is Sampling?
Sampling is a process through which a researcher
selects a portion or segment from the population at
the center of the researcher’s study (Cristobal,
2017).
Sampling is done for any or all of the following reasons (Caintic
& Cruz, 2008):

1. due to limitations of time, money or personnel, it is

impossible to study every item in the population;

2. examining an item may require that the item be destroyed;

3. samples due to its small size can be thoroughly

Sampling is done for any or all of the following reasons (Caintic
& Cruz, 2008):

4. fewer errors are encountered in the collection and handling

of data; and

5. the study of a larger or more varied population can be

carried out at a lesser cost
 Population VS. Sample

a. A population is the totality of all values (or measurements)

of a particular characteristic for a specified group of objects
that are interest to the researcher. A population is composed
of individuals called as elements or units
 Population VS. Sample
There are two groups of population:

1. Target population- is composed of the entire

group of people or objects to which the researcher
wishes to generalize the findings of the study;
 Population VS. Sample
There are two groups of population:

2. Accessible population- a portion of the

population to which the researcher has reasonable
access.
For example:
In a study about the common difficulties encountered by senior
high school students in their first semester of school year 2019-
2020, the target population may be all senior high school students
in Bukidnon. However, the researcher may have access only to
the students of a specific school—these students comprise the
accessible population.
A sample is a finite portion of a population
that will be used or investigated in the study.
It serves as a representative for the entire
population
Researchers commonly select samples for study rather
than the entire population due to constraints in budget,
time, and manpower.
 A good sample should be representative of the
population, such that the characteristics of the population
—especially those pertinent to the study— are reflected
in the sample with a fair amount of accuracy.
In the example given, though the accessible
population is a specific school, the researcher
selects specific classes/ sections as sample to
represent the entire school.
 Subjects VS Respondents

The individual participants in the study are often

referred to as subjects or respondents. The subjects
are individuals or entities which serve as the focus
of the study.
For example: a researcher, examining all marriages in the
Philippines in the year 2016, wants to find a particular
parameter—the mean age of all the men in those marriages.
From a sample of 1000 subjects, she obtains a sample mean
of 31 years—this figure is a statistic. Using this figure, she
concludes that the mean age of Filipino men who married in
2016 is likely to be close to 31, as well.
 Various Approaches
to
Determining the Sample
 Sample sizes as small as 30 are generally
adequate to ensure that the sampling distribution
of the mean will approximate the normal curve
(Shott, 1990).
 When the total population is equal to or less
than 100, this same number may serve as the
sample size. This is called universal sampling
.
 A census study occurs if the entire population
is very small or it is reasonable to include the
entire population (for other reasons). It is called a
census sample because data is gathered on every
member of the population
According to Gay (1976), the following are
acceptable sizes for different types of research:

a. Descriptive research—10% (or sometimes to

20%) may be required.
b. Comparative research- 15 subjects or
groups
 5. Slovin’s formula is used to compute for sample
size (Sevilla, 2003):

Where: n—a sample size N—population size e—desired margin of error (1%,
2%, 5%, 10%)

Example: The population total is 8,000 with a desired 2% margin of error.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
 There are two types of sampling: The probability
sampling and the non-sampling. When the selection of
items is done according to some chance mechanism.
where the elements have an equal chance of being
selected, it is a probability sampling However, if the
items are selected by judgment where elements do not
have an equal chance of being taken, non-probability.
 Probability Sampling
Probability sampling is a type of sampling in which all
the members of an entire population have a chance of
being selected. This is also called as scientific sampling
and is mostly used in quantitative researches. The
following are the various methods of probability
sampling:
a. Simple Random Sampling
This is a method of choosing samples in which all the
members of the population are given equal chance of
being selected. It is an unbiased way of selection, as
samples are drawn by chance.
a. Simple Random Sampling
There are various ways of obtaining samples
through simple random sampling (Treece & Treece,
1986). These include the roulette wheel, lottery method,
fishbowl method, and the use of a table of random
numbers.
b. Systematic Sampling
A method of selecting every nth element of a
population. After the required sample size has been
calculated, every nth record is selected from a list of
population members. As long as the list does not
contain any hidden order, this sampling method is as
good as the random sampling method.
b. Systematic Sampling
nth element - A sampling process of selecting every
third record, or every tenth record, or every 20th
respondent, etc.
 To determine the nth interval, divide the total
number of sampling units (respondents) by the number
of records that will need to be selected to achieve the
desired number of completed interviews.
c. Stratified Random Sampling
In stratified random sampling, the population is first
divided into different ‘strata’ and then the sampling
follows. Age, gender, and educational qualifications are
some possible criteria used to divide a population into
strata.
c. Stratified Random Sampling
In stratified random sampling, the population is first
divided into different ‘strata’ and then the sampling
follows. Age, gender, and educational qualifications are
some possible criteria used to divide a population into
strata.
For example:
A researcher will study that common effects of smoking on
high school students. The researcher decides to
select equal numbers from the freshman, sophomore, junior,
and senior levels.
The researcher decided to divide the students into strata
based on their year level before proceeding to random/
systematic sampling.
d. Cluster Sampling
Cluster sampling is used in large-scale studies,
where the population is geographically spread out. This
is the most economical ways of obtaining a sample for
a survey. It consists of selecting clusters of units in a
population and then obtaining a simple random sample
of these clusters.
 Using a city map, we could divide the entire city
into clusters or blocks of households. Then, a simple
random sample of clusters could be obtained.
 Non- Probability Sampling

Is a process of selecting respondents in which

not all members of the entire population are given
a chance to be selected as samples.
This is also called as non-scientific sampling.
a. Convenience Sampling:
This is also called accidental or incidental
sampling. Sometimes, a sample is very hard to
obtain. In cases like these, some researchers
resort to obtaining samples that are easily
accessible. This type of sample is called a
convenience sample because the sample is
convenient to obtain .
Examples of this type of sample are the
following:
1. A professor who uses his physics class to obtain a
sample of college students.

2. An election researcher who obtained a sample of

voters by interviewing people at a shopping center
3. The researcher intends to study the elementary
students of a particular school, but due to the study’s
constraints, the elementary pupils who are present at
the time of the researcher’s visit to the school are
automatically chosen as respondents.
b. Purposive Sampling/ Judgmental Sampling:
This involves handpicking subjects, usually to suit
very specific intentions. Judgment sampling is a
common nonprobability method.
 The sample is selected based upon judgment. When
using this method, the researcher must be confident that
the chosen sample is truly representative of the entire
population.
Example: In a study about honor students, the
researcher uses a list of honor students and chooses
the necessary number of respondents, to the
exclusion of all other students.
c. Quota Sampling:
Quota sampling is somewhat similar to stratified
sampling, in that the population is divided into strata,
and the researcher deliberately sets specific proportions
in the sample, whether or not the resulting proportion is
reflective of the total populations.
 This is commonly done to ensure the inclusion of a
particular segment of the population.
Example: A group of employees is gathered for a
research, using the strata (quota): Male, above 50,
the sample is trimmed down. From this set of
elements, convenient sampling or judgment sampling
is used to choose for samples or respondents for the
study.
Steps in quota sampling: First, identify the stratums
and their proportions as they are represented in the
population. Then, convenience or judgment sampling
is used to select the required number of subjects
from each stratum.
d. Snowball Sampling:
Snowball sampling is a special nonprobability
method used when the desired sample characteristic
is rare. It may be extremely difficult or cost-
prohibitive to locate respondents in these situations.
 This technique relies on referrals from initial
subjects to generate additional subjects. It lowers
search costs; however, it introduces bias because the
technique itself reduces the likelihood that the sample
will represent a good cross-section of the population.
 THANK
YOU

Juliana Silva | University of Aldenaire | 2024