SAMPLING

Advanced Statistics
Masters in Government Management

WHY DO SAMPLING?
to make reasonable inferences about a population
without studying the whole population
Common pitfalls of research studies:
failing to use a random sample
using too few samples (observations)

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Sampling - the process of selecting representative units of a
population for study in a research investigation
Population A population consists of all elements that are being
studied; a well-defined set that has certain specific properties
A census - is a sample of the entire population.
Inclusion (eligibility) vs. exclusion(delimitations) criteria
Sample A sample is a subset of the population; a set of elements
that make up a population;
Element the most basic unit about which information is collected
When selecting a sample, statisticians would like to select values in such a way that
there is no inherent bias. One way of doing this is by selecting a random sample.

TYPES OF SAMPLING
Nonprobability sampling elements are
chosen by nonrandom methods
Probability sampling uses some form of
random selection when the sample units are
chosen

TYPES OF SAMPLING DESIGNS

Non-probability
1. Convenience sampling

Probability

2. Quota sampling

1. Simple random sampling

3. Purposive sampling

2. Systematic sampling

4. Network sampling

3. Stratified sampling
4. Cluster sampling

NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING
Convenience sampling the use of the most readily accessible
persons or objects as subjects in a study
Quota sampling a form of nonprobability sampling in which
knowledge about the population of interest is used to build some
representativeness into a sample
Purposive sampling the researchers knowledge of the
population and its elements is used to hand-pick the cases to be
included in the sample
Network sampling a.k.a. snowball sampling; takes advantage of
social networks

PURPOSIVE SAMPLING STRATEGIES

Extreme or deviant case
sampling
Intensity sampling
Maximum variation sampling
Homogeneous samples
Typical case sampling
Stratified purposeful sampling

Critical case sampling

Snowball or chain sampling
Criterion sampling
Theory-based or operational
construct sampling
Confirming and disconfirming
cases
Opportunistic sampling

PROBABILITY SAMPLING
The primary characteristic is the random selection of
elementsfrom the population.
Random selectionoccurs when each element of a
population has an equal and independent chance of
being included in the sample.

PROBABILITY SAMPLING
Simple random sampling - researcher defines the population (a
set), lists all of the units of the population (a sampling frame),
and selects a sample of units (a subset) from which the sample
will be chosen
Stratified random sampling - requires that the population be
divided into strata or subgroups that are homogeneous
Cluster sampling - involves a successive random sampling of
units (clusters) that progress from large to small and meet
sample eligibility criteria
Systematic sampling - Involves the selection of every Kth case
drawn from a population list at fixed intervals

THANK YOU
fin

 To perform sample size calculation manually, you need the following values:
Population Value: Size of the population from which the sample will be
selected. (Number of users or number of encounters)
Expected Frequency of the Factor under Study always err toward 50%
Worst Acceptable Frequency
If 50% is the true rate in the population, what is the result farthest from the
rate that you would accept in your sample? If your confidence interval were
4%, then your worst acceptable frequency would be 54% or 46%.

 2. Formula: Sample Size = n / [1 + (n/population)]

In which n = Z * Z [P (1-P)/(D*D)]
P = True proportion of factor in the population, or the expected frequency value
D = Maximum difference between the sample mean and the population mean,
Or Expected Frequency Value minus (-) Worst Acceptable Value
Z = Area under normal curve corresponding to the desired confidence level
Confidence Level/ Value for Z
90% / 1.645
95% / 1.960
99% / 2.575
99.9% / 3.29

 Let's say that the population size is 5000, the estimate

of the prevalence of 10%, and either 6% or 14% as the
"worst acceptable" value, which is the end point of
your confidence level. (Please note: the high and low
values are calculated by adding and subtracting your
confidence level, in this case "4", to your estimate of
the prevalence.)

 Formula: Sample Size = n / [1 +

(n/population)]
In which n = Z * Z [P (1-P)/(D*D)]

 Population Value = 5000

Expected Frequency of the Factor under Study = 10%
Worst Acceptable Frequency = 14% or 6%
P = Expected Frequency Value = 10%
D = (Expected Frequency - Worst Acceptable) = 14%-10%=4%,
OR 10%-6%=4%
Z = 1.960 with Confidence Level of 95% (See Confidence Level
values, page 3-2)

 First, calculate the value for "n".

n
n
n
n
n
n
n

=
=
=
=
=
=
=

Z * Z [P (1-P)/(D*D)]
1.960 * 1.960 [0.10(1 - 0.10) / (0.04 * 0.04)
1.960 * 1.960 [0.10(0.90) / (0.0016)
1.960 * 1.960 [.09 / .0016]
1.960 * 1.960 [56.25]
1.960 * 110.25
216.09

Next, Calculate the Sample Size. (S = Sample Size)

S
S
S
S
S

=
=
=
=
=

n / [1 + (n / population)
216.09 / [1 + (216.09 / 5000)]
216.09 / [1 +. 043218]
216.09 / 1.043218
207