Chapter 3 Sampling

Population: A collection of all units in which we are interested.

Sampling frame: A collection of units where the sample was drawn from.

Note that we do not draw a sample from the population, but the sampling frame. This is
because in many cases we cannot identify the exact population. For example, if we want to
know the average family sizes of a city, we can select a list of addresses and send out
people to investigate. But the collection of all addresses, where the list came from, is not the
population. Why? As some addresses may indicate houses in which no one is living. Thus
our sampling frame is virtually larger than the population! Yet, this does not really cause a
problem, as we can exclude those empty houses after we obtained the sample. What's
worth attention is the case where the sampling frame does not cover the whole population!
This leads to a bias, as some units in the population have no chance to be selected.

Selection Process: The method or algorithm used to select units from the sampling frame to form a
sample.

A good selection process should yield us an unbiased/representative sample of the population, given
that the sampling frame has good coverage. In our context, a good selection process must be a
probability sampling process, under which the probability for each unit being selected is known. In
the lecture, several important probability sampling processes have been covered.

1. Simple Random Process

2. Systematic Selection
3. Stratified
4. Multistage Sampling
5. Cluster Sampling

What is a Good Sample? [Unit 3 slide 3]

1. Every unit in the population has a possibility of being selected?

Sampling frame is larger or equal to the population.

2. Selection process is not biased.

Use probability sampling.

Remark: Note that it did not mention sample size. In fact, a small sample can be representative as
well, as long as it meets the above two requirements.

Problems in Sampling

Problems may arise when the sampling frame does not match the population.

1. Sampling frame is larger than population  need to rule out redundant units  increase cost

2. Sampling frame is smaller than population  need to redefine the population or assess the
impact of excluding those units more severe problem (bias in the sample)
Non-probability Sampling plans often possess various bias.

1. Non-response: Need to understand the reason for non-response. In some situations, it causes
bias. (May not be due to a use of non-probability sampling. Sometimes even we use probability
sampling, we still have non-response issue.)

2. Voluntary/Self-selected Sample: Normally biased.

3. Convenient sample: Normally biased.

4. Judgement sample: Are the experts’ opinion really unbiased? No one knows.

5. Quota sample: A judgement version of stratified sampling. It is a non-probability sampling and

often biased, for the same reason as that of judgement sampling.