SAMPLE DESIGN

• A sample design is a definite plan for obtaining a sample from a

given population.
• It refers to the technique or the procedure the researcher would
adopt in selecting items for the sample.
• Sample design may as well lay down the number of items to be
included in the sample i.e., the size of the sample.
• Sample design is determined before data are collected.
• There are many sample designs from which a researcher can
choose.
• Some designs are relatively more precise and easier to apply than
others.
• Researcher must select/prepare a sample design which should be
reliable and appropriate for his research study.
 STEPS IN SAMPLE DESIGN
• While developing a sampling design, the researcher must pay
attention to the following points:
• (i) Type of universe:
• The first step in developing any sample design is to clearly
define the set of objects, technically called the Universe, to be
studied.
• The universe can be finite or infinite.
• In finite universe the number of items is certain. The
population of a city, the number of workers in a factory are
examples of finite universe.
• In an infinite universe the number of items is infinite, i.e., we
cannot have any idea about the total number of items. The
number of stars in the sky, listeners of a specific radio
programme, throwing of a dice etc. are examples of infinite
universe.
(ii) Sampling unit:
• A decision has to be taken concerning a sampling unit before
selecting sample.
• Sampling unit may be a geographical one such as state, district,
village, etc., or a construction unit such as house, flat, etc., or it may
be a social unit such as family, club, school, etc., or it may be an
individual.
• The researcher will have to decide one or more of such units that he
has to select for his study.
(iii) Source list:
• It is also known as ‘sampling frame’ from which sample is to be
drawn.
• It contains the names of all items of a universe (in case of finite
universe only).
• If source list is not available, researcher has to prepare it.
• Such a list should be comprehensive, correct, reliable and
appropriate.
• It is extremely important for the source list to be as representative of
the population as possible.
(iv) Size of sample:
• This refers to the number of items to be selected from the universe
to constitute a sample. This a major problem before a researcher.
• The size of sample should neither be excessively large, nor too
small.
• It should be optimum. An optimum sample is one which fulfills the
requirements of efficiency, representativeness, reliability and
flexibility.
• While deciding the size of sample, researcher must determine the
desired precision as also an acceptable confidence level for the
estimate.
• The size of population variance needs to be considered as in case of
larger variance usually a bigger sample is needed.
• The size of population must be kept in view for this also limits the
sample size.
• The parameters of interest in a research study must be kept in view,
while deciding the size of the sample.
• Costs or budgetary constraint must be taken into consideration
when we decide the sample size.
(v) Parameters of interest
• In determining the sample design, one must consider the question
of the specific population parameters which are of interest.
• For instance, we may be interested in estimating the proportion of
persons with some characteristic in the population, or we may be
interested in knowing some average or the other measure
concerning the population.
• There may also be important sub-groups in the population about
whom we would like to make estimates.
• All this has a strong impact upon the sample design we would
accept.
(vi) Budgetary constraint
• Cost considerations, from practical point of view, have a major
impact upon decisions relating to not only the size of the sample
but also to the type of sample.
• This fact can even lead to the use of a non-probability sample.
(vii) Sampling procedure
Finally, the researcher must decide the type of sample he will
use i.e., he must decide about the technique to be used in
selecting the items for the sample.
In fact, this technique or procedure stands for the sample design
itself.
There are several sample designs out of which the researcher
must choose one for his study.
Obviously, he must select that design which, for a given sample
size and for a given cost, has a smaller sampling error.
 CRITERIA OF SELECTING A SAMPLING PROCEDURE
• One must remember that two costs are involved in a sampling
analysis.
• The cost of collecting the data and the cost of an incorrect
inference resulting from the data.
• The two causes of incorrect inferences are systematic bias and
sampling error.
• A systematic bias results from errors in the sampling
procedures, and it cannot be reduced or eliminated by
increasing the sample size.
• At best the causes responsible for these errors can be detected
and corrected.
• A systematic bias is the result of one or more of the following factors:
1. Inappropriate sampling frame
• If the sampling frame is inappropriate i.e., a biased representation of the
universe, it will result in a systematic bias.
2. Defective measuring device
• If the measuring device is constantly in error, it will result in systematic
bias.
• In survey work, systematic bias can result if the questionnaire or the
interviewer is biased.
• Similarly, if the physical measuring device is defective there will be
systematic bias in the data collected through such a measuring device.
3. Non-respondents
• If we are unable to sample all the individuals initially included in the
sample, there may arise a systematic bias.
• The reason is that in such a situation the likelihood of establishing contact
or receiving a response from an individual is often correlated with the
measure of what is to be estimated.
4. Indeterminancy principle
• Sometimes we find that individuals act differently when kept under
observation than what they do when kept in non-observed
situations.
• For instance, if workers are aware that somebody is observing
them in course of a work study on the basis of which the average
length of time to complete a task will be determined and
accordingly the quota will be set for piece work.
• They generally tend to work slowly in comparison to the speed
with which they work if kept unobserved.
• Thus, the indeterminancy principle may also be a cause of a
systematic bias.
5. Natural bias in the reporting of data
• Natural bias of respondents in the reporting of data is often the
cause of a systematic bias in many inquiries.
• People in general understate their incomes if asked about it for tax
purposes, but they overstate the same if asked for social status or
their affluence.
• Generally in psychological surveys, people tend to give what they
think is the ‘correct’ answer rather than revealing their true
feelings.
• Sampling errors are the random variations in the sample
estimates around the true population parameters.
• Since they occur randomly and are equally likely to be in
either direction, their nature happens to be of compensatory
type and the expected value of such errors happens to be
equal to zero.
• The measurement of sampling error is usually called the
‘precision of the sampling plan’. increase the sample size,
• Sampling error decreases with the increase in the size of the
sample, and it happens to be of a smaller magnitude in case
of homogeneous population.
• Sampling error can be measured for a given sample design
and size. the precision can be improved.
• But increasing the size of the sample has its own limitations
viz., a large sized sample increases the cost of collecting data
and also enhances the systematic bias.
• Thus the effective way to increase precision is usually to
select a better sampling design which has a smaller sampling
error for a given sample size at a given cost.
• In practice, however, people prefer a less precise design
because it is easier to adopt the same and also because of
the fact that systematic bias can be controlled in a better way
in such a design.
• So, while selecting a sampling procedure, researcher must
ensure that the procedure causes a relatively small sampling
error and helps to control the systematic bias in a betterway.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD SAMPLE DESIGN
(a) Sample design must result in a truly representative
sample.
(b) Sample design must be such which results in a small
sampling error.
(c) Sample design must be viable in the context of funds
available for the research study.
(d) Sample design must be such so that systematic bias can
be controlled in a better way.
(e) Sample should be such that the results of the sample
study can be applied, in general, for the universe with a
reasonable level of confidence.