Sampling Design

Sample or Census
• Census : Complete enumeration of elements of a
population

• Sample : Sub-group of population selected for

participation in study
Sample vs. Census

Conditions Favoring the Use of

Type of Study Sample Census

1. Budget Small Large

2. Time available Short Long

3. Population size Large Small

4. Variance in the characteristic Small Large

5. Cost of sampling errors Low High

6. Cost of nonsampling errors High Low

7. Nature of measurement Destructive Nondestructive

8. Attention to individual cases Yes No

Sampling & Non -Sampling Errors
• Sampling errors : Errors made in selecting samples that are
not representative of population i.e. there is difference
between sample value and true value of mean

• Non -Sampling errors: Any other errors besides sampling

error that can inject inaccuracy and biasness into the results
of the study
The Sampling Design Process

Define the Population

Determine the Sampling Frame

Select Sampling Technique(s)

Determine the Sample Size

Execute the Sampling Process

Define 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 should be defined in terms of
elements, sampling units, extent, and time.

– An element is the object about which or from which the information is

desired, e.g., the respondent.

– A sampling unit is an element, or a unit containing the element, that is

available for selection at some stage of the sampling process. If
sampling unit exists, it is sampled first and then element is sampled.

– Extent refers to the geographical boundaries.

– Time is the time period under consideration.

Define the Target Population : An illatioustration
of sampling Unit & element

• Males above 18 years of age who shave atleast thrice

a week (element) in households with an annual
income of more than Rs. 10 Lakhs (sampling unit) in
Chandigarh city (extent) during the month of Jun
2015 (time)

Old spice may not be interested to sample

households, rather may wish to sample all males
above 18 years in Chandigarh. In such case, element
& sampling unit are same.
Define the Target Population
• Don’t over define

• Should be Reproducible

• Consider Convenience
Define the Target Population
• Universe of the study: It is total of items or units in
any field of research. It is entire group of items which
researcher wish to study and about which he/she
plans to generalize.

• Universe may be finite/ infinite

Determine Sampling Frame

• A representation of the elements of the population

• Sampling Frame Error

• To overcome sampling frame error

– Redefine the population in terms of sampling frame
– Screen the respondents
Select Sampling Technique

• Traditional Sampling Approach

– Sampling with replacement
– Sampling without replacement

• Probability/ Non- Probability Sampling

Classification of
Sampling Techniques

Sampling Techniques

Non probability Probability

Sampling Techniques Sampling Techniques

Convenience Judgmental Quota Snowball

Sampling Sampling Sampling Sampling

Simple Random Systematic Stratified Cluster

Sampling Sampling Sampling Sampling
Non Probability
Sampling Techniques
• Convenience sampling

• Judgmental Sampling
– Judgment by opinion
– Statistical Judgment

• Snowball Sampling

• Quota Sampling
Judgmental & quota sampling are also called as Purposive
Sampling which conforms to certain criteria.
Probability Sampling Techniques
• Simple Random Sampling
– Lottery System
– Use of random number tables

• Systematic Sampling

• Stratified Sampling

• Cluster Sampling
– (Area sampling, One-stage area sampling, Two-stage area sampling,
Multi-stage area sampling)