Course 08 — Population, Sampling & Sample Size

👥📊 Population, Sampling & Sample Size

Welcome to Population, Sampling & Sample Size, a practical course designed to help researchers determine who should participate in a study, how participants should be selected, and how an appropriate sample size can be determined.

The course introduces learners to target populations, accessible populations, samples, sampling frames, census approaches, and major probability and non-probability sampling techniques. Learners will also explore approaches for determining sample size and allocating samples appropriately when a study involves different groups or categories of participants.

Through practical examples and exercises, learners will learn how to make sampling decisions that are consistent with their research objectives, study population, research design, available resources, and ethical requirements.

👥 What Learners Will Explore:

• The meaning of population in research
• Target population
• Accessible population
• Sampling frame
• Understanding a research sample
• Census and inclusion of the whole population
• Probability sampling
• Simple random sampling
• Systematic sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Non-probability sampling
• Convenience sampling
• Purposive or judgment sampling
• Quota sampling
• Snowball sampling
• Factors influencing sampling decisions
• Determining sample size
• Yamane’s sample-size approach
• Other sample-size approaches
• Proportionate sample allocation
• Writing sampling procedures
• Avoiding common sampling errors

🧠 Sampling in Action:

• Population Identification: Clearly define who your research is about.
• Sampling Decisions: Select an appropriate technique for reaching participants.
• Statistical Planning: Determine an appropriate sample size.
• Practical Application: Apply sampling procedures to real research situations.

🎯 By the End of This Course, You Will Be Able To:

• Define a target and accessible population.
• Distinguish between a population and a sample.
• Explain the purpose of sampling.
• Distinguish probability from non-probability sampling.
• Explain major sampling techniques.
• Select an appropriate sampling technique for a study.
• Determine an appropriate sample size using a suitable approach.
• Apply proportionate allocation where required.
• Describe and justify a sampling procedure.
• Identify common weaknesses in sampling decisions.

🧮 Practical Sampling Activity

Learners will use their own research population to define the target population, determine the accessible population, select an appropriate sampling technique, calculate or determine the required sample size, and prepare a written sampling procedure.