Sampling methods are critical for doing successful research. While probability sampling yields more scientific and unbiased results, non-probability sampling methods are commonly utilized when time, money, or access to the population is limited. The technique used is determined by the research purpose, population size, available resources, and desired precision.
Almost in all types of research, the sampling technique is used, but to use this technique, the researcher must have a comprehensive knowledge of the sampling techniques; otherwise, the research will not lead to the desired result. In any research study, gathering data is one of the most important steps. It’s often not possible to collect information from everyone in the population, so researchers pick a group of people, groups, or things that stand for the whole. This process is called sampling. The way you pick the people in the sample is known as a sampling technique. Using the right sampling technique helps make sure the results are accurate, dependable, and meaningful, while also using less time and resources.
sampling techniques
A sampling technique is the method used by researchers to choose individuals from a larger group. The main aim is to ensure the selected group accurately represents the entire population, allowing results to be applied more broadly.
This simple concept is referred to by researchers as sampling techniques—a method of picking a smaller group from a larger population such that the information gained is representative of the total. Just as a handful of mangoes can reveal the flavor of thousands, a well-chosen sample can assist researchers in drawing accurate and relevant findings without analyzing every individual.
Probability sampling is a method where each person in the population has a clear chance of being part of the sample. The selection is done through random processes instead of the researcher’s personal choice, which helps reduce bias. Because of this, probability sampling is seen as the most dependable way to apply findings to the whole population.
Sampling methods—In simple words, probability sampling methods are those that clearly specify the probability or likelihood of inclusion of each element or individual in the sample. Technically, the probability sampling methods must satisfy the conditions given below:
- The size of the parent population or universe from which the sample is to be drawn must be known to the investigator.
- Each element or individual in the population must have an equal chance of being included in the subsequent sample.
- The desired sample size must be specified.
If, for example, a researcher knows that the population that he is going to study contains 500 elements or individuals, and if he knows that all the elements are accessible and may be included in the subsequent sample, it can be said that each element or individual in the population has an equal chance, which is a 1/500 chance, of being selected. This constitutes the probability sampling method. In practice, however, sometimes researchers are not able to know for certain that conditions (i) and (ii) will be satisfied. Sometimes, the population studied is so large as to be considered infinite and unknowable for all important and practical purposes. The positive point of the probability sampling method is that the obtained samples are considered representative, and hence, the conclusions reached from such samples are worth generalization and comparable to similar populations to which they belong.
The negative point is that the probability sampling method has a certain amount of sampling error because the researcher has only a limited element of the entire population. Sampling error refers to the degree to which the sample characteristics approximate the characteristics of the parent population. The smaller the sample, the greater the sampling error.
Types sampling technique—
- probability sampling
- Non-probability sampling
- Stratified random sampling
- Simple random sampling
- Proportionate stratified random sampling
- Disproportionate stratified random sampling
- Cluster sampling
see also
Glossary of key terms used in educational research: five key terms used in research.