SAMPLING THEORY AND GENERALIZABILITY OF RESULTS 2

Sample Theory and Generalizibility of Results

Sampling theory is a study of relationship that exists between a sample and the
population from which it is drawn from (Pitard, 2019). The theory is mainly applied in
researches that involve random samples. It was developed to guide researches in choosing their
samples. The theory requires that researchers choose samples that accurately mirror the
populations that they are studying (Pitard, 2019). For instance, if the target population is women
in a multi-cultural society such as the USA, it should use a sample that includes women of all
ages, socio-economic backgrounds, races, and ethnicities. Such a sample will correctly reflect the
make up of the target population.
A concept closely linked with sampling theory is generalizability. This is a measure of
the usefulness of the results of a study to broader situations or groups of people (Holloway &
Galvin, 2016). Generalizable results are results that can be applied to different situations or
people. Results that are poorly generalized only apply to a very narrow section of the population
or situation. For instance, if a study seeks to find out factors that contribute to teenage
pregnancies and only samples African American teenagers, the results will only apply to African
American teenagers. Thus, they will be poorly generalized. However, if a similar study uses a
sample that includes African Americans, East Asians, Whites, Latinos, and Arabs among other
groups, the results obtained will be highly generalizable because they apply to a wide population
group. Generally, the more generalizable the results the better they are.
Sampling theory acts as an important guide to researchers when choosing a sample for
study of a given population. It helps a researcher choose a sample that reflects the target

SAMPLING THEORY AND GENERALIZABILITY OF RESULTS 3
population that they are studying. Sampling theory also helps a researcher choose a sample that
produces results that are generalizable.

References

Holloway, I., & Galvin, K. (2016). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare. John Wiley
& Sons.
Pitard, F. F. (2019). Theory of Sampling and Sampling Practice. Chapman and Hall/CRC.