Types of Sampling Methods
Sampling methods[edit]
Within any of the types of frame identified above, a variety of sampling methods can be employed, individually or in combination. Factors commonly influencing the choice between these designs include:
Nature and quality of the frame
Availability of auxiliary information about units on the frame
Accuracy requirements, and the need to measure accuracy
Whether detailed analysis of the sample is expected
Cost/operational concerns
Simple random sampling [edit]
Main article: Simple random sampling
In a simple random sample (SRS) of a given size, all such subsets of the frame are given an equal probability. Furthermore, any given pair of elements has the same chance of selection as any other such pair (and similarly for triples, and so on). This minimises bias and simplifies analysis of results. In particular, the variance between individual results within the sample is a good indicator of variance in the overall population, which makes it relatively easy to estimate the accuracy of results.
However, SRS can be vulnerable to sampling error because the randomness of the selection may result in a sample that doesn't reflect the makeup of the population. For instance, a simple random sample of ten people from a given country will on average produce five men and five women, but any given trial is likely to overrepresent one sex and underrepresent the other. (Systematic and stratified techniques), attempt to overcome this problem by "using information about the population" to choose a more "representative" sample.
SRS may also be cumbersome and tedious when sampling from an unusually large target population. In some cases, investigators are interested in "research questions specific" to subgroups of the population. For example, researchers might be interested in examining whether cognitive ability as a predictor of job performance is equally applicable across racial groups. SRS cannot accommodate the needs of researchers in this situation
Within any of the types of frame identified above, a variety of sampling methods can be employed, individually or in combination. Factors commonly influencing the choice between these designs include:
Nature and quality of the frame
Availability of auxiliary information about units on the frame
Accuracy requirements, and the need to measure accuracy
Whether detailed analysis of the sample is expected
Cost/operational concerns
Simple random sampling [edit]
Main article: Simple random sampling
In a simple random sample (SRS) of a given size, all such subsets of the frame are given an equal probability. Furthermore, any given pair of elements has the same chance of selection as any other such pair (and similarly for triples, and so on). This minimises bias and simplifies analysis of results. In particular, the variance between individual results within the sample is a good indicator of variance in the overall population, which makes it relatively easy to estimate the accuracy of results.
However, SRS can be vulnerable to sampling error because the randomness of the selection may result in a sample that doesn't reflect the makeup of the population. For instance, a simple random sample of ten people from a given country will on average produce five men and five women, but any given trial is likely to overrepresent one sex and underrepresent the other. (Systematic and stratified techniques), attempt to overcome this problem by "using information about the population" to choose a more "representative" sample.
SRS may also be cumbersome and tedious when sampling from an unusually large target population. In some cases, investigators are interested in "research questions specific" to subgroups of the population. For example, researchers might be interested in examining whether cognitive ability as a predictor of job performance is equally applicable across racial groups. SRS cannot accommodate the needs of researchers in this situation