Thesis Writing

12
Research Design

Module 012 Participants of the Study

Objectives
1. To differentiate the various of sampling
2. To formulate the criteria for choosing participants/ respondents

Introduction
Participants of the study is the element of the research methodology
that discusses how the subjects/respondents of the study are selected and
how an appropriate sampling method is chosen. In this part of the research,
the subjects/respondents, through citing basic profiles, are introduced to the
readers. Subjects can be individuals or organizations to which intervention
or processes are applied. In some studies, the subjects are the respondents
themselves, but in other researchers, the subjects are not necessarily the
respondents. The participants or respondents are individuals or a group or
groups of people that serve/s as the source of information during data
collection.
Population
The population is a complete set of persons or objects that posses
some common characteristics that are of interest to the researcher. There are
two groups of population: the target population and the accessible
population. The target population is composed of the entire group of people
or objects to which the researcher wishes to generalize the findings of the
study while the accessible population is the specific study population. For
example, in a study about the common difficulties encountered by nursing
students in their related learning experiences, all level III nursing students in
the Philippines can be the target population, but only the nursing student
level III in a particular college/s of the researcher’s choice os the accessible
population.
Parameter. A parameter is a numeric characteristics of a population.
It is very impractical for the researcher to get data from the entire
population, especially if it is very large; in this case, a sample is derived. A
sample is a subset of the entire population or a group or individuals that
represents the population and serves as respondents of the study. A statistic
is a numeric characteristic of a sample. A single number of the sample is
called an element.

Course Module
Ways of Determining the Statistic of the Sample Size
An important task of the researcher is to determine the acceptable
sample size. The larger the sample, the more reliable is the result of the
study. Hence, it is advisable to have a sample large enough to yield reliable
results.
Factors to Consider in Determining the Sample Size
1. Homogeneity of the population. The higher the degree of
homogeneity of the population, the smaller is the sample size that
can be utilized.
2. Degree of precision desired by the researcher. The larger the
sample size, the higher is the precision or accuracy of results.
3. Types of sampling procedure. Probability sampling utilizes
smaller sample sizes than non-probability sampling.
Considerations in Determining the Sample Size
1. Sample sizes as small as 30 are generally adequate to ensure that
the sampling distribution of the mean will approximate the normal
curve (Shott, 1990).
2. When the total population is equal to or less than 100, this same
number may serve as the sample size. This is called universal
sampling.
3. The Slovin’s formula is used to compute for a sample size (Sevilla,
2003)

Where: n = a sample size

N = population size
E = desired margin of error
Example: The sample size of the population is 8,000 at 2% margin
of error.

=
= 1,905
4. According to Gay (1976), the following are the acceptable sizes for
the different types of research:
Descriptive research – 10% - 20% may be required
Correlational research - 30 subjects or respondents
Comparative research – 15 subjects/group
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Research Design

Experimental design – 15-30 subjects per group

5. Using Calmorin’s formula

Where: S = sample size

N = population size
V = standard value (2.58) of 1% level of
probability with 0.99 reliability
Se = sample error
p = the largest possible proportion
Example: Getting statistic from a parameter of 800

Ss =

=
= 124
Computed Sample Sizes Using the Calmorin’s Formula

N n N N N n N n

150 122 400 182 650 205 900 218

200 141 450 188 700 208 950 220

250 155 500 194 750 211 1,000 221

300 166 550 198 800 214 2,000 238

350 175 600 202 850 216 3,000 244

LEGEND: N – Population n – sample

Kinds of Sampling (Polit & Beck, 2004)
1. Probability sampling. This is a type of a sampling in which all the
members of the entire population are given a chance of being
selected. This is also termed as scientific sampling.
a. Simple random sampling. It is method of choosing
samples in which all the members of the population are
given an equal chance of being selected. It is an unbiased
way of selection as samples re drawn by chance.

Course Module
 There are various ways of getting the samples through the simple
random sampling (Treece, 1986). They include the roulette wheel,
fishbowl technique, and the use of the table of random numbers.
The following steps are observed in the fishbowl technique:
1. Prepare the sampling frame, the list of the names of all
elements of the population.
2. Write down all the names of the members of the population
on strips of paper (one name per strip of paper).
3. Place the strips of paper with the listed names in a bowl or
container.
4. Draw samples as desired.
An accurate procedure for random selection of samples is
through the use of a table of random numbers. This table is a
list of numbers that have been generated in such a manner that
there is no order or sequencing of numbers. Today, this table
can be generated by a computer. This random numbers can
have any number of digits and are dependent on the size of the
population.
When using the table of random numbers, take note of
the following steps:
1. Assign a number to each element of the accessible
population.
2. Enter the table of random numbers at an arbitrary or
random starting point. This can be done by closing your
eyes and using a pen to point at a number.
3. Continue in a systematic way up or down, to the left or
right or diagonally. The direction is not important but
should be decided before starting the process. This
direction shall continue until the total sample is selected.
4. Continue to select numbers until the desired sample is
complete. When the chosen number is bigger than the
sample size or has already been drawn, it has to be
disregarded and a number must be selected.
Table of Random Numbers

21 71 89 96 97

82 59 22 78 12

76 93 64 79 28

20 60 70 34 51

93 58 36 93 90

68 63 19 21 91

18 32 36 27 71
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Research Design

58 80 58 67 50

66 25 20 31 62

17 25 07 94 18

02 29 30 15 92

55 06 25 09 26

38 11 01 47 93

42 47 73 25 84

82 04 23 08 88

37 24 51 98 05

94 58 85 86 71

37 92 27 20 58

29 64 13 05 24

85 48 37 37 66

33 23 13 82 54

62 11 29 17 37

01 57 73 53 97

34 19 75 62 16

81 10 55 36 36

92 33 43 20 08

10 50 18 85 27

Source: Nieswiadomy Rosemarie (2004). Foundations of Nursing Research,

4th edition. New Jersey Prentice Hall
b. Stratified random sampling. The population is first
divided into different strata, then the sampling follows.
Age, gender, and educational qualifications are just some of
the criteria used in dividing the population into strata. For
example, the researcher will study the common causes and
effects of smoking on high school students. Equal
representations of respondents coming from freshman,
Course Module
 sophomore, junior, and senior must be a good
consideration.
c. Cluster sampling. It is used in large-scale studies, in
which the population is geographically spread out;
sampling procedures may be difficult and time-consuming.
For example, a researcher wants to interview 100
businessmen across the country. It will be difficult and
expensive on his/her part to have respondents in 100
different cities or provinces. Cluster sampling is helpful for
the researcher who randomly selects the regions (first
cluster), then chooses the companies (second cluster), and
then the number of businessmen.
d. Systematic sampling. It is a method of selecting every nth
element of the population e.g., every fifth, eighth, ninth, or
eleventh element. After the size of the sample has been
determined, the selection of the sample follows.
2. Non-probability sampling. It is a process of selecting
respondents in which not all members of the entire population are
given a chance of being selected as samples. There are cases in
which a sample is given priority instead of other members. It is
also termed as non-scientific sampling.
a. Convenience sampling. It is also called accidental or
incidental sampling. For example, after you have already
determined the size of the sample from your population of
elementary pupils, the elementary pupils who are at the
moment present during the research visit will be chosen as
respondents.
b. Quota sampling. It is somewhat similar to stratified
sampling in which the population is divided into
homogenous strata, and then sample elements are selected
from each of the stratum. For example, the researcher
desires to have 50 male students; the first 50 male
students who are approached by the researcher would then
be asked to participate in the survey.
c. Purposive sampling. It involves the handpicking of
subjects. This is also called judgmental sampling. For
example, in a study about diabetic patients, the researcher
uses a list of diabetic patients and chooses the necessary
number of respondents.
 Thesis Writing
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Research Design

PARTICIPANTS AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE Example 1 (Cristobal, 2003)

There were two groups of respondents of this study, namely the
school managers and their corresponding secondary teachers, as shown in
Table 1.
Table 1. Population of the Study

School Name Principal Head Secondary Total

Teachers Teachers

Bataan 1 5 24 30
National HS

B. Camacho 1 5 11 17

BS of 1 3 20 24
Fisheries

Hermosa HS 1 3 7 11

Limay HS 1 5 11 17

Luakan HS 1 3 8 12

Mariveles- 1 4 9 14
Cabcaben HS

Mariveles- 1 4 10 15
Poblacion HS

P. Roman HS 1 8 7 16

TOTAL 9 40 107 156

The school managers included nine (9) secondary school principals

and 40 head teachers of the public high schools in the division of Bataan.
The secondary school teachers included 107 teachers who were
teaching Teknolohiya, Edukasyong Pantahanan, at Pangkabuhayan in the
public high schools in the division under the school managers mentioned
earlier. The four major areas of the subject are agriculture and fishery, home
economics, industrial arts, technology, and entrepreneurship.
PARTICIPANTS AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE Example 2 (de la Cruz, 2002)
Two universities and six colleges in Pampanga were considered in the
study. These schools included the Holy Angel University, University of the
Assumption, AMA Computer College (Angeles City), Systems Plus Computer
College, STI Computer College, Republic Central Colleges, Philippine State
College of Aeronautics, and Pampanga Agricultural College. The main
respondents in this study included the college deans, assistant college deans,
Course Module
and area chairperson of the eight educational institutions. For an in-depth
probe, 10% of the college faculty of each university/college was chosen using
the simple random fishbowl technique.

PARTICIPANTS AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE Example 3 (Valenton, 2003)

The number of sample respondents from each school was determined
using the proportional allocation-based size and the following formula:
ni = number of student respondents for each school
n = desired number of respondents
Ni = total number of second year students in each school
N = total number of second year students in the congressional district
(population)
The sample number was equivalent to 30% of the second year
population in the selected high schools of Congressional District 2, Nueva
Ecija (Table 1). The lottery method was used to pick the student respondents.
The total population of second year students was 1,462. Complete
enumeration was used in determining the English teacher respondents (51)
from first year to fourth year in the secondary schools (Table1).
Table1. Population of the Schools and the Sample Student and Teacher
Participants

School English Teachers Second Year Students Sample

Population

Talugtug National 6 208 62

High School

Dig Dig National High 5 176 53

School

Pantabangan National 8 171 51

High School

Llanera National High 6 148 44

School

Tondod National High 6 148 44

School

Canaan East National 4 138 41

High School

A.Bonifacio National 4 130 39

High School

Bicos National High 4 129 39

School

San Isidro National 4 122 37

High School
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Research Design

Capintalan National 4 92 28
High School

TOTAL 51 1,462 438

NOTE:
In formulating the selection, and describing the respondents of the
study, the following elements must be properly discussed: the total
population and its parameters; the sample and its statistics’ the sampling
method with references to support it; an explanation and discussion of the
sampling method; an explanation on how the sampling was done; an
enumeration of the qualifying criteria; and the profile of the respondents.

References:
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Course Module
Lileikienė, A., Šaparnis, G., & Tamošiūnas, T. (2004). Magistro darbo
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