SAMPLING METHODS

Learning Objectives
• Students can differentiate the
probability and non-probability sampling

• Students are able to apply the various

sampling techniques.
Technical Definition of Population
Target Population/Study population : The
population about which the researchers
wishes to draw a conclusion
 Example of study population

All patients admitted to the Medical wards in

Hospital Seremban from January to Disembar
2009
All persons seeking treatment in Clinic
XYZ from 1-Ogos-to 31Ogos 2009

All persons living in Taman Rasah

Persons notified as having a disease

eg diabetic etc in village Y
 Defining the study population
• Identifying unit of analysis eg. Persons,
households, workplaces, or events

• Geographical dimension /location

• Time
Sampling

The process of selecting a sufficient

number of elements from the population
with the aim of generalizing the
properties of the sample to the
population.
Stages in Define the target population
the Selection
of a Sample Select a sampling frame

Determine the type of sampling

method

Plan procedure
for selecting sampling units

Determine sample size

Select actual sampling units

Conduct fieldwork
Two Major Categories of Sampling
• Probability sampling
Known, nonzero probability for
every element
• Non probability sampling
Probability of selecting any
particular member is unknown
Non probability Sampling
• Convenience
• Judgmental
• Quota
• Snowball
Probability Sampling
• Simple random sample
• Systematic sample
• Stratified sample
• Cluster sample
• Multistage sample
Convenience Sampling
• Also called haphazard or accidental
sampling
• The sampling procedure of obtaining
the people or units that are most
conveniently available
• e.g. those patients that visit the clinic on
Monday
Judgmental Sampling
• Also called purposive sampling
• An experienced individual selects the
sample based on his or her judgment
about some appropriate characteristics
required of the sample member
• e.g. the head of department at the IJN
might suggest based on his judgment
suitable subjects to be included in the
study on angiograms
Quota Sampling
• Ensures that the various subgroups in
a population are represented on
pertinent sample characteristics
• To the exact extent that the
investigators desire
• e.g. the researcher interview patients
receiving treatment at the IJN and he
stops once the targeted number is
achieved
Snowball Sampling
• Initial respondents are selected by
probability methods
• Additional respondents are obtained
from information provided by the initial
respondents
• e.g. in researching the emotional trauma
faced by single mother the researcher
obtain the information on the next single
mother to be interviewed through the
introduction of the previous subject.
Simple Random Sampling
• A sampling procedure that ensures that
each element in the population will
have an equal chance of being included
in the sample.
• e.g. selecting 200 heart patient from a list
of 2000 patients using random number
Systematic Sampling
• A simple process
• Every nth name from the list will be
drawn
Example
A researcher wanted to study the blood glucose
level in pregnant women. He obtains a complete
list of registered pregnant women from the
district hospital and assigns unique numbers for
every individual in the list. He intends to select
50 individuals from the list, which has 200
names. He divides the sampling frame into sub-
class. Since he wanted to select 50 respondents
from 200, the size of the sub-class will be 200
divide 50, which equals to 4
Stratified Sampling
• Population sample (Sampling Frame) is
divided into relevant strata
• Sub-samples are drawn within different
strata
• Each stratum is more or less equal on
some characteristic
• e.g. dividing the list of heart patients
according gender before further selection
 Cluster Sampling
• The purpose of cluster sampling is to
sample economically while retaining the
characteristics of a probability sample.
• The primary sampling unit is no longer
the individual element in the population
• The primary sampling unit is a larger
cluster of elements located in proximity
to one another
• e.g. selecting the ward rather than
individual patients, all patients from the
selected ward will be the sample
Multi-stage Sampling
• Employs more than one sampling
strategy
• Usually starts with cluster sampling
• Individual elements representing the
groups are determined using other
probability techniques
 Example

Breast Feeding
Mother in Selangor

PJ

H1 H2 H3
 What is the
Appropriate Sample Design?

• Degree of accuracy
• Resources
• Time
• Advanced knowledge of the population
• Need for statistical analysis