Simple Random Sampling: Every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.
This
method is often conducted using random number generators or drawing names from a hat.
Eg: Selecting 100 students from a school by assigning each student a number and using a random
number generator to pick 100 numbers.
Merits: Every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected, minimizing bias. It's
easy to understand and implement.
DeMerits: It may not represent the population well if it's not truly random. It can be time-consuming
and costly for large populations.
Areas of Application: Suitable for homogeneous populations where every individual is similar.
Formula for Sample Size: Sample size Formula:
Stratified Sampling: The population is divided into distinct subgroups (strata), and then samples are
randomly selected from each subgroup in proportion to the population size of the subgroup.
Eg: Dividing a city's population into age groups (e.g., 0-18, 19-30, 31-50, 51+) and then randomly
selecting individuals from each age group.
Merits: Ensures representation from different strata of the population. It can increase precision and
reduce sampling error.
DeMerits: Requires prior knowledge of the population's characteristics. It can be complex and time-
consuming.
Areas of Application: Useful when the population is heterogeneous and can be divided into distinct
subgroups.
Formula for Sample Size: Sample size in each stratum is calculated separately, usually using the
Formula for simple random sampling.
Systematic Sampling: Individuals are selected at regular intervals from a list or population after a random
start.
Eg: Choosing every 10th customer from a list of visitors to a store after selecting a random number
between 1 and 10 as the starting point.
Merits: Simple and convenient. It ensures uniform coverage of the population.
DeMerits: Vulnerable to periodicities or patterns in the population list. If the sampling interval is not
random, it can introduce bias.
Areas of Application: Suitable for large populations where a systematic approach can be applied.
Formula for Sample Size: Sample size calculation is similar to simple random sampling but adjusted
for the systematic interval
Cluster Sampling: The population is divided into clusters, and then clusters are randomly selected, and all
individuals within the selected clusters are included in the sample.
Eg: Randomly selecting several schools in a district and surveying all students within those selected
schools.
Merits: Cost-effective and logistically convenient for large and dispersed populations. It maintains the
natural groupings in the population.
DeMerits: It may introduce increased sampling error due to intra-cluster homogeneity.
Areas of Application: Ideal for geographically dispersed populations or when population units
naturally form clusters.
Formula for Sample Size: Sample size calculation involves adjusting for the cluster size and the
number of clusters needed for adequate representation.
Convenience Sampling: Individuals are chosen based on their convenient availability to the researcher.
Eg: Surveying shoppers in a mall or interviewing people passing by on the street.
Merits: Quick, easy, and inexpensive. Useful for preliminary research or when access to the
population is limited.
DeMerits: Highly prone to selection bias and may not be representative of the population.
Areas of Application: Typically used in exploratory studies or when other sampling methods are
impractical.
Formula for Sample Size: Sample size determination may not follow a specific Formula but rather
depends on the researcher's judgment and resources.
Snowball Sampling: Existing participants recruit future participants from among their acquaintances.
Eg: Studying the prevalence of a rare disease by first identifying a few individuals with the disease
and then asking them to refer others they know with the same condition.
Purposive Sampling: Specific individuals or groups are chosen based on pre-defined criteria relevant to
the research question.
Eg: Selecting experts in a particular field for interviews or focus groups based on their expertise and
experience.
Quota Sampling: Researchers establish quotas for certain characteristics (e.g., age, gender, occupation)
and then non-randomly sample individuals to meet those quotas.
Eg: Surveying 100 individuals, ensuring that 50 are male and 50 are female, regardless of the actual
gender distribution in the population.
Each sampling method has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of method depends on the
research objectives, resources available, and characteristics of the population being studied.