Sampling Error in Survey Research

In survey research, all deficiencies or weaknesses are caused by sampling or non-sampling issues that engender the discrepancy between sample value and population value. When the sample values deviate from the population value due to sampling, the deviation is termed as sampling error. It is statistically measured in term of standard error that is used to determine confidence interval to quantify the accuracy of the sample estimates. Unlikely the standard error from a sample distribution, estimated standard error can be calculated bases on the standard deviation derived from a random sample. An appropriate size of a sample can be a better estimator than a large size sample if it consists of similar characteristics of a population. Well defined target population, an exhaustive list of sample frame, effective sample design, reasonable sample size, acceptable level of confidence level are common measures to balance the sampling error.