Sampling

Question 1

What is the goal of sampling in quantitative research?

Answer 1

Make statements about a larger population

Question 2

What is the goal of sampling in qualitative research?

Answer 2

Make statements about a certain phenomenon

Question 3

What characterises sampling in quantitative research?

Answer 3

• Sample needs to be representative of the target population
• Many cases
• Broad view
• Structured sampling

Question 4

What characterises sampling in qualitative research?

Answer 4

• Sample needs to be appropriate to gain insight into that phenomenon
• Fewer cases than for quantitative
• In-depth view
• Less structured than for quantitative

Question 5

Which sampling methods are mainly used in quantitative research?

Answer 5

• Probability/random sampling
• Purposive sampling if no other choice

Question 6

Which sampling method is mainly used in qualitative research?

Answer 6

Purposive sampling
- convenience sampling
- snowball sampling
- theoretical sampling

Question 7

What characterises purposive sampling?

Answer 7

• Selection of research objects (units of analysis) because of their relevance to the research question
• Representation is not the most important element
  -> rather if/how something occurs among subjects

Question 8

What defines the sample size?

Answer 8

• The bigger the sample, the more accurate your generalisations of the population
• More variation reduces accuracy of conclusions
• Depends on time and costs

Question 9

In quantitative research, who should you include in your sample?

Answer 9

• Everyone you want to make statements about
• Everyone you have access to (in your database)
• Everyone you select
• Everyone that gives (valid) answers to you measure

Question 10

In quantitative research, how do biases and errors occur?

Answer 10

• Choice of population
• Limited access to population
• Selection and random errors in representation
• Framing of the research
• Non-responses

Question 11

What makes a good sample?

Answer 11

Representative of the population

• comes close to the characteristics of the population