Sampling Methods
When you conduct research about a group of people, it’s rarely possible to collect data from
every person in that group. Instead, you select a sample. The sample is the group of
individuals who will participate in the research.
To draw valid conclusions from your results, you have to carefully decide how you will select
a sample that is representative of the group as a whole. This is called a sampling method.
There are two primary types of sampling methods that you can use in your research:
1. Probability sampling involves random selection, allowing you to make strong
statistical inferences about the whole group.
2. Non-probability sampling involves non-random selection based on convenience or
other criteria, allowing you to easily collect data
Population vs. sample
First, you need to understand the difference between a population and a sample, and identify
the target population of your research.
The population is the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about.
The sample is the specific group of individuals that you will collect data from.
The population can be defined in terms of geographical location, age, income, or many other
characteristics.
Probability sampling methods
Probability sampling means that every member of the population has a chance of being
selected. It is mainly used in quantitative research. If you want to produce results that are
representative of the whole population, probability sampling techniques are the most valid
choice.
There are four main types of probability sample.
1. Simple random sampling
In a simple random sample, every member of the population has an equal chance of being
selected. Your sampling frame should include the whole population.
To conduct this type of sampling, you can use tools like random number generators or other
techniques that are based entirely on chance.
Example: Simple random sampling You want to select a simple random sample of 1000
employees of a social media marketing company. You assign a number to every employee in
the company database from 1 to 1000, and use a random number generator to select 100
numbers.
2. Systematic sampling
Systematic sampling is similar to simple random sampling, but it is usually slightly easier to
conduct. Every member of the population is listed with a number, but instead of randomly
generating numbers, individuals are chosen at regular intervals.
Example: Systematic sampling All employees of the company are listed in alphabetical
order. From the first 10 numbers, you randomly select a starting point: number 6. From
number 6 onwards, every 10th person on the list is selected (6, 16, 26, 36, and so on), and
you end up with a sample of 100 people.
If you use this technique, it is important to make sure that there is no hidden pattern in the list
that might skew the sample. For example, if the HR database groups employees by team, and
team members are listed in order of seniority, there is a risk that your interval might skip over
people in junior roles, resulting in a sample that is skewed towards senior employees.
3. Stratified sampling
Stratified sampling involves dividing the population into subpopulations that may differ in
important ways. It allows you draw more precise conclusions by ensuring that every
subgroup is properly represented in the sample.
To use this sampling method, you divide the population into subgroups (called strata) based
on the relevant characteristic (e.g., gender identity, age range, income bracket, job role).
Based on the overall proportions of the population, you calculate how many people should be
sampled from each subgroup. Then you use random or systematic sampling to select a sample
from each subgroup.
Example: Stratified sampling The company has 800 female employees and 200 male
employees. You want to ensure that the sample reflects the gender balance of the company,
so you sort the population into two strata based on gender. Then you use random sampling on
each group, selecting 80 women and 20 men, which gives you a representative sample of 100
people.
4. Cluster sampling
Cluster sampling also involves dividing the population into subgroups, but each subgroup
should have similar characteristics to the whole sample. Instead of sampling individuals from
each subgroup, you randomly select entire subgroups.
If it is practically possible, you might include every individual from each sampled cluster. If
the clusters themselves are large, you can also sample individuals from within each cluster
using one of the techniques above. This is called multistage sampling.
This method is good for dealing with large and dispersed populations, but there is more risk
of error in the sample, as there could be substantial differences between clusters. It’s difficult
to guarantee that the sampled clusters are really representative of the whole population.
Example: Cluster sampling The company has offices in 10 cities across the country (all
with roughly the same number of employees in similar roles). You don’t have the capacity to
travel to every office to collect your data, so you use random sampling to select 3 offices –
these are your clusters.