Sampling: Design and
Procedures
Outline
Sample or Census
Define the Target Population
Determine the Sampling Frame
The Sampling Select a Sampling Technique
Design Process Determine the Sample Size
Execute the Sampling Process
A Classification of
Nonprobability Sampling Techniques
Sampling Probability Sampling Techniques
Techniques
Sample Vs. Census
The objective of marketing research is : Obtaining information about the characteristics
or parameters of a population
A population : The aggregate of all the elements that share some common
characteristics and comprise the universe for the purpose of the marketing research
problem
•E.g. : ( All airlines operating in the Arab world , Females in Egypt, University students….etc.)
Census : involves a complete enumeration of the elements of a population (Confidence
% ?)
Sample : a subgroup of the population selected for the participation in the study
In a sampling study, drawing inferences from a sample to the study population
Females in Egypt Females in Egypt
Sample Census
Only part of the
All the population
population is
is interviewed
interviewed
The sampling Design Process
Define Define the Population
Determine Determine the Sampling Frame
Select Select Sampling Technique(s)
Determine Determine the Sample Size
Execute Execute the Sampling Process
1- Define the target population
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.
An Element : is the object about which or from which the information is desired.
A sampling unit : The basic unit containing the elements of the population to be
sampled
Extent: refers to the geographical boundaries.
Time : is the time period under consideration
Total Population
Target Population
Sampling Unit
Element
Example
• The following parameters were set to define the
target population for a sample for Carrefour
• Target Population : People shopping at hyper markets
• Sampling Unit : Household
• Elements : Male or female head of household
• Extent : Egypt
• Time : 2015
2- Determine the Sampling Frame
• Sampling Frame: is a representation of elements of
the target population. It consists of a list or a set of
directions for identifying the target population.
• E.g. ( Telephone directory, mailing list, commercial
registration list….etc. )
• Some sampling frames can omit or include some
elements that do not belong to the population of
interest
• In other instances, the discrepancy between the
population of interest and the sampling frame is
small enough to be neglected.
3- Select a sampling technique
•Traditional approach : The entire sample is
selected before data collection begins ( Most
widely used)
The most important decision is to use probability or
non-probability sampling
4- Determine the sample size
Consideration Comment
Importance Of The Decision More important→ Lager sample size
Nature Of The Research Conclusive research → Lager sample size
Number Of Variables Big number of variables → Lager sample size
Nature Of The Analysis Sophisticated analysis → Lager sample size
Sample Sizes Used In Similar Studies See table in next slide
Incidence Rates Low incidence rate → Lager sample size
Completion Rates Low completion rate → Lager sample size
Resource Constraints Time and money and interviewers.
Sample Equation ( THIS IS JUST FYI)
(𝑵𝒑)(𝒑)(𝟏−𝒑)
Ns= 𝑩 𝟐
𝑵𝒑−𝟏 ( ) +(𝒑)(𝟏−𝒑)
𝑪
• Ns= The completed Sample size needed for the desired
level of precision
• Np= The size of the population of interest
• P= the proportion of the population expected to
choose from the two response category question
• B= margin of error( i.e. half the desired confidence
intereval width) ≈0.03
• C= Z score associated with a confidence interval (
usually 1.96 is for a confidence of 95%)
Type of Study Minimum Size Typical Range
Problem identification research 500 1,000-2,500
(e.g. market potential)
Problem-solving research (e.g. 200 300-500
pricing)
Product tests 200 300-500
Test marketing studies 200 300-500
TV, radio, or print advertising (per 150 200-300
commercial or ad tested)
Test-market audits 10 stores 10-20 stores
Focus groups 2 groups 6-15 groups
5- Execute the research
•A detailed specification of how sampling
design considerations are to be
implemented.
•E.g. If households are the sampling units,
an operational definition of a household is
needed . Procedures for vacant housing
units for callbacks in case no one is home
should be defined.
A Classification of sampling techniques
Sampling
Techniques
Non-Probability Probability
Convenience Simple Random Systematic Stratified Cluster Other
Judgmental Proportionate
Quota Disproportionate
Snowballing
A- Non- Probability Sampling
Techniques
1-Convenience Sampling
Convenience sampling attempts to obtain a sample of
convenient elements. Often, respondents are selected
because they happen to be in the right place at the right
time. Neighborhood
• Use of students, and members of social
organizations
• Mall intercept interviews without qualifying the
respondents
• Department stores using charge account lists
• “People on the street” interviews
2-Judgmental Sampling
Judgmental sampling also called “ purposive sampling” is
a form of convenience sampling in which the population
elements are selected based on the judgment of the
researcher.
It enables the researcher to select cases that will best
enable you to answer your research questions.
Examples :
• Test markets
• Expert witnesses used in court
3-Quota Sampling
Quota sampling may be viewed as two-stage restricted
judgmental sampling.
• The first stage consists of developing control categories, or quotas, of
population elements.
• In the second stage, sample elements are selected based on convenience or
judgment.
Control Population Sample
Variable composition composition
Sex Percentage Number
Male 48 480
Female 52 520
____ ____
100 1000
4-Snowball Sampling
In snowball sampling, an initial group of
respondents is selected, usually at random.
•After being interviewed, these
respondents are asked to identify others
who belong to the target population of
interest.
•Subsequent respondents are selected
based on the referrals.
B- Probability Sampling
Techniques
A Classification of sampling techniques
Sampling
Techniques
Non-Probability Probability
Convenience Simple Random Systematic Stratified Cluster Other
Judgmental Proportionate
Quota Disproportionate
Snowballing
1- Simple Random Sampling
•Each element in the population has a
known and equal probability of selection.
•Each possible sample of a given size (n) has
a known and equal probability of being the
sample actually selected.
•This implies that every element is selected
independently of every other element.
A Graphical Illustration of
Simple Random Sampling
2-Systematic Sampling
• The sample is chosen by selecting a random starting point and
then picking every ith element in succession from the sampling
frame.
• The sampling interval, i, is determined by dividing the
population size N by the sample size n and rounding to the
nearest integer. (N/n)
• Steps :
• Select a suitable sampling frame
• Assign each element a number from 1 to N
• Determine the sampling interval i= N/n ( n=sample size)
• Select a random number r, between 1 and i
• The elements wit the number r, r + i, r+2i ….r+(n-1)I will be included.
Randomly picked
starting point
Example
•There are N= 100,000 elements in the
population and a sample of n= 1,000 is
desired.
• In this case the sampling interval, i, is 100.
• A random number r between 1 and 100 is
selected.
•If, for example, this number is 23, the sample
consists of elements 23, 123, 223, 323, 423,
523, and so on.
3- Stratified Sampling (cont’d)
• The elements within a stratum should be as homogeneous as possible, but
the elements in different strata should be as heterogeneous as possible.
• The stratification variables should also be closely related to the
characteristic of interest.
Example
• Administrators of Eslsca wanted to determine the attitudes of their
students toward various aspects of the university
• They selected a stratified random sample of 500 students for
conducting the attitude survey
Population Number of Number of
Strata Population Sample Units
Units Allocated
Prep Year 3,000 150
Year 1 3,000 150
Year 2 2,000 100
Year3 2,000 100
Total 10,000 500
4- Cluster Sampling
• The target population is first divided into mutually exclusive and
collectively exhaustive subpopulations, or clusters.
• Then a random sample of clusters is selected, based on a probability
sampling technique such as SRS.
• For each selected cluster, either all the elements are included in the
sample (one-stage) or a sample of elements is drawn probabilistically
(two-stage).
Choosing Nonprobability Vs. Probability Sampling
Conditions Favoring the Use of
Factors Nonprobability Probability
sampling sampling
Nature of research Exploratory Conclusive
Relative magnitude of sampling Nonsampling Sampling
and nonsampling errors errors are errors are
larger larger
Variability in the population Homogeneous Heterogeneous
(low) (high)
Statistical considerations Unfavorable Favorable
Operational considerations Favorable Unfavorable
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